Journal of Food Processing and Preservation最新文献

The objective of this study was to validate the preservation and bacteriostasis effects of a citral nanoemulsion on golden pomfret (Trachinotus ovatus) stored at 4°C, in comparison with sterile saline and blank nanoemulsion without citral addition, aiming at keeping the freshness of T. ovatus and enhancing the quality maintenance technology for aquatic products. The analysis of microbial composition revealed that Shewanella spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were predominant spoilage organisms in T. ovatus (accounting for more than 90% of the total proportion during most storage time), when the citral nanoemulsion treatment led to an abundance decrease of Shewanella spp. and an increase of Pseudomonas spp. The total viable count (TVC) of fish samples treated with citral nanoemulsion consistently exhibited the lowest TVC values, surpassing the limit (7.0 log CFU/g) on Day 10, which was observed with a delay of 2–4 days compared to the other two groups. Meanwhile, the fish samples of the citral nanoemulsion group exhibited significantly reduced levels in total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and K value, with better attributes in texture and sensory evaluation. Furthermore, the Pearson analysis revealed highly significant correlations between TVC and these quality indices (correlation coefficients exceeding 0.9), underscoring the importance of microbial control in T. ovatus. These findings highlighted the potential application of citral nanoemulsion on the preservation and bacteriostasis of T. ovatus during refrigeration.

This study is aimed at analyzing, evaluating, and optimizing the pectin hydrolysis process to improve the quality of carbonated beverages made from red dragon fruit combined with mint flavor. Red dragon fruit, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, presents challenges in beverage processing due to its high pectin content, which affects clarity and anthocyanin stability. The research investigates the impact of various parameters, including enzyme concentration, hydrolysis time, and temperature, on juice clarity and anthocyanin content. Using a central composite design model, optimal conditions were determined to maximize juice clarity and anthocyanin content. Sensory evaluation during the blending process was also conducted to assess consumer acceptance, focusing on clarity, color, flavor, taste, and total acceptability. The optimum conditions were found to yield maximum clarity (52.763%) and anthocyanin content (224.414 mg C3G/L). Sensory evaluation indicated that 20% dragon fruit juice concentration with 0.12% citric acid, 13°Bx, and 0.30% mint flavor provided the best consumer acceptance. This research demonstrates the potential for producing high-quality, appealing, and nutritious carbonated beverages from red dragon fruit, contributing to healthier and more sustainable consumption trends.

Biodegradable and nontoxic chitosan edible coatings offer a promising alternative to conventional plastic food packaging materials. Recently, there has been significant interest in incorporating green plasticizers into these coatings. Accordingly, response surface methodology was employed to optimize a chitosan coating formulation that integrates Aloe vera extracts and a deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride–citric acid) as a plasticizer. The selection of the optimized formulation was related to quality characteristics of coated blackberries including their weight loss, pH, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity after 7 days of cold storage. The models demonstrated a high level of significance between the responses and independent variables, with p value less than 0.0001. The optimal coating formulation for blackberry fruits was identified as 2.05% (v/v) aloe rind extract, 1.1% (w/w) aloe gel extract, and 15% (w/w) choline chloride–citric acid. The developed film was characterized by ATR-FTIR and SEM for its intermolecular interactions and surface morphology, respectively, demonstrating good combability of polymer matrix with the plasticizer and aloe extracts. The optimized film was compared to a pure chitosan film in regard to their physical and mechanical properties. The alternative plasticizer choline chloride–citric acid improved the flexibility of the edible packaging by enhancing its mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation at rupture, and elastic modulus. Additionally, the incorporation of this plasticizer and plant extracts slightly increased the transparency of the film. The coating was then applied to blackberry fruits in order to investigate the potential of the developed coating formulation to maximize the shelf life of food products. The results indicated the ability of the coating to extend shelf life and maintain the quality of the fruits.

It is useful to analyze volatile flavor compounds and identify characteristic fingerprints for improving the aroma of vegetable soybean in the vegetable soybean breeding program. In this study, headspace-gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry was applied to evaluate the volatile compounds of four vegetable soybean cultivars with different preservation processes. The results revealed that aldehydes, alcohols, and esters determined the basic volatile flavor of the vegetable soybean seeds. The peak intensities of most of the volatile compounds varied significantly between both cultivars and preservation methods. Compared with the preservation processes, the differences between cultivars would contribute more to the flavor. The characteristic fingerprints were further identified in the four cultivars, including Xiang Dou, Changxing Qingdou, Wu Pi Qing Ren, and Zhe Xian No. 84, with different preservation processes. Although the flavor could be affected by the preservation processing, the cultivar Zhe Xian No. 84 was the least affected among these cultivars and had great value in both promotion and application in vegetable soybean production. These results could provide useful information for improving the seed taste quality of vegetable soybean in China.

Maize flour is the staple food in many African countries, which is often contaminated with mycotoxin-producing fungi. In this study, fungal contamination and the concentrations of fumonisins B1 and B2 in different types of maize flour in Malawi were examined, and the risk of mycotoxicosis, including endemic cancer, development was assessed. Data on the maize flour consumption of 187 Malawians were collected using a self-generated questionnaire. Fifty-nine samples of four differently processed types of flour from home-grown maize were collected and screened for mycotoxins using high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Fumonisin B1 and B2 concentrations in maize flour and daily individual intakes were quantified by combined accelerated solvent extraction, solid phase extraction, and HPLC-MS detection. The fumonisin concentrations ranged from 0.00 to 10,306.65 μg/kg maize, with a median concentration of 230.20 μg/kg (interquartile range (IQR), 592.77), and differed significantly among the four flour types. The median daily intake of fumonisins B1 and B2 per kilogram body weight was 3.01 μg (IQR, 6.47) and was significantly greater for deya flour (8.17 μg (IQR, 12.84)) than for mgaiwa flour (3.73 μg (IQR, 6.23); p = 0.046), gramil flour (1.08 μg (IQR, 2.39); p = 0.030), and white flour (1.18 μg (IQR, 2.78); p = 0.002). This intake exceeded the legitimate upper limit in 75% of individuals, by about nine times on average. The reduction of fumonisin intake is crucial to lower the associated disease risk and burden and can be achieved by changing the kernel processing method, improving storage conditions, and introducing sorghum and millet as possible staple food alternatives in Malawi.

The aim of this study was to extract polysaccharides from Abelmoschus sagittifolius using the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method. Three independent variables, including extraction temperature, microwave power, and microwave time, were chosen for investigation through single-factor experiments. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was utilized to optimize the extraction conditions. The study found that the optimal conditions for polysaccharide extraction were a temperature of 63°C, a microwave power of 650 W, and a duration of 58 min. The polysaccharide yield under these conditions was 29.8 g/100 g, closely matching the experimental yield of 30.1 g/100 g. This yield was approximately 1.15 times higher than the yield achieved through conventional extraction methods (heat reflux extraction (HE) method). The study also demonstrated that polysaccharides extracted using the MAE method exhibited improved antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibition and displayed significant inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells compared to the conventional extraction method. Moreover, the polysaccharides obtained from the optimized MAE process had a lower molecular weight and higher polydispersity than the HE method. These findings indicate that MAE is a promising, efficient, and environmentally friendly technology for extracting polysaccharides from A. sagittifolius.

Agrifood wastes derived from fruits and vegetables are a major source of valuable bioactive compounds. They are therefore a potential functional ingredient that can be used for improving the physicochemical, and sensory, properties; health benefits; and shelf life of food. This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of tomato seed (Solanum lycopersicum) meal derived from agrifood waste to be used as a functional ingredient for food preservation. To this end, proximate composition, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial ability, and functional properties were evaluated using relevant methods. The seeds are the most nutrient-rich part of the tomato. They contain major macronutrients such as proteins (29.97%, dw), lipids (28.32%, dw), carbohydrates (17.19%, dw), and dietary fibers (20.93%, dw). They are rich in minerals (3.57%, dw), and bioactive molecules include total phenolic (4.8 mg/100 g) and carotenoids (with 43.65 μg/g for lycopene and 23.62 μg/g for β-carotene). Owing to their content of biomolecules, tomato seed meal extracts inhibited the growth of certain food-borne pathogens and food spoilage microorganisms with inhibition diameters of up to 25 cm. Methanolic extracts of these meals showed significant antioxidant activity (25.03% inhibition percentage of diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl). Our findings highlight the importance of making better valorization of tomato seeds. Tomato seed meal has interesting potential as a functional ingredient, capable of improving the physicochemical properties, enriching the nutritional quality, and extending the shelf life of foods.

Sequential ultrasound- and microwave-assisted natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were used for the extraction of pectin from mango peels in this study. The two different NADES composed of proline: malonic acid (Pro: MA) and choline chloride: tartaric acid (ChCl: TA) which resulted in higher pectin yield were selected for further optimization studies. The processing conditions such as sonication duration, microwave intensity, microwave processing duration, and liquid–solid ratio were optimized using Box–Behnken design. The optimized conditions are sonication duration (7.5 min), microwave intensity (40 W/g), microwave processing duration (5 min), and liquid–solid ratio (65%). The physicochemical and technofunctional properties of pectin extracted using NADES were compared with conventional acid–extracted pectin. The moisture and ash content of NADES-extracted pectin were within the specified limit provided by the International Pectin Producers Association. The NADES-based extracted pectin contains galacturonic acid content higher than 65%, as mentioned by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and the European Commission. The higher anhydrouronic acid content of pectin (88.8 ± 0.21%–90.82 ± 0.11%) represents the superior purity of pectin. The higher degree of esterification (> 50%) indicates the extracted pectin is a high ester pectin. The similarity of FT-IR spectra at 800–1300 cm⁻¹ with the “fingerprint zone” of carbohydrates indicates that extracted pectin is functional pectin. The results showed that ultrasound- and microwave-assisted NADES are efficient systems for extracting pectin with a high degree of esterification from mango peels.

In this study, we aimed to use high-throughput sequencing technology to systematically analyze the bacterial community structure during the box wheat Qu–making process to understand the succession of bacterial communities. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which mature Qu, raw materials, and the complete fermentation process of the box wheat Qu were analyzed. Significant differences in the distribution and abundance of the dominant bacteria were observed among these samples. Bacterial diversity was lowest in residual mature Qu, gradually increasing after moistening and fermentation and declining after reaching its peak on the fourth day. The predominant bacteria observed in residual mature Qu were Saccharopolyspora (81.64%), Weissella (3.39%), and Staphylococcus (3.06%). The most abundant bacteria in the moistened material were Pantoea (48.50%), Staphylococcus (12.10%), and Saccharopolyspora (11.61%). However, a rapid decline in Pantoea and Staphylococcus in box wheat Qu was observed on the first day of fermentation. Following fermentation, the most abundant bacteria were Saccharopolyspora (68.85%), Bacillus (19.94%), and Thermoactinomyces (4.70%). Nonmetric multidimensional scale and linear discriminant analysis effect size analyses revealed a significant difference in the bacterial community structure between the raw materials and samples obtained at the end of fermentation. These findings underscore the significant effect of the bacterial community structure of residual mature Qu on box wheat Qu.

This study is aimed at determining how gamma irradiation (5, 10, and 15 kGy) of sorghum flour affects the physicochemical, functional, pasting, and thermal characteristics of sorghum starch. The pattern of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) intensity confirmed that starch structure and granules integrality were mostly preserved. Both native and irradiated starches revealed an A-type XRD pattern, with the irradiated starches showing lower crystallinity. However, scanning electron microscopy showed that the irradiation dose enhances the development of fissures and surface cracking on elliptical, irregular, and spherical starch granules. Starch impurities such as protein and fat decreased with increasing irradiation dose. Furthermore, the increased dosages were associated with increased solubility and syneresis. The flour also showed a remarkable improvement in the absorption of water (1.19 to 1.52 g/g) and oil (1.24 to 1.58 g/g) as the doses increased. Gamma irradiation–induced depolymerization and reduced crystallinity in sorghum starch also resulted in significant reductions in viscosity and changes in gelatinization temperatures, reflecting altered pasting properties and thermal characteristics. Overall, gamma irradiation at higher doses transformed the functional and structural properties of sorghum starch, suggesting potential applications in food and industrial sectors, where reduced retrogradation or viscosity is beneficial.