Journal of Food Quality最新文献

Hawthorn represents a rich source of various pharmacologically active compounds and contains significantly higher flavonoid content compared to other fruits. The exploration of the medicinal and economic potential of hawthorn is important for improving the hawthorn-based products with dual purposes (medicinal and edible). In this study, the flavonoid extraction method was optimized. Then, 15 Chinese hawthorn cultivars were selected to compare the flavonoid components and assess the variation in bioactive content among different varieties. From the results, “HB 1” exhibited the highest total flavonoid content, whereas “JH” had the lowest. “ZF 1” contained the highest levels of myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin, and hypericin, whereas “QJX,” “DJX,” “JH,” and “HB 1” were richest in hydrous catechin, epicatechin, rutin, and vitexin, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays revealed strong antioxidant capacity in the methanol extract of “DJX,” “QJX,” and “THZ,” whereas “JF 2” and “SNFSZ 1” demonstrated weaker activity. Comprehensive evaluation shows that “ZF 1” is the most promising cultivar for the hawthorn industry to drive rural revitalization.

This study evaluated the antioxidant potential of canistel (Pouteria campechiana) fruit and optimized its wine fermentation using yeast strains. Fresh juice contained 122.120 mg of GAE/L of total polyphenols and exhibited 92.3% DPPH inhibition, while the fermented wine retained 33.270 mg of GAE/L and 76.11% inhibition, with IC₅₀ increasing from 33.58 to 69.02 μL/mL. Among the tested yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae BV818 produced the highest ethanol yield (7.76% v/v) under baseline fermentation conditions. Screening experiments identified total soluble solids (TSSs) and peptone concentration as the most significant factors influencing ethanol production. Optimization using a central composite design predicted optimal conditions at ∼23 °Brix and 4–5 g/L of peptone, under which ethanol production increased substantially, reaching 10.8%–11.1% v/v in validation trials. This improvement was attributed to enhanced sugar availability and nitrogen supplementation under optimized conditions, rather than scale-up effects. The optimized canistel wine showed desirable sensory qualities (clarity, color, and aroma) and retained substantial polyphenol content and antioxidant activity, despite reductions relative to fresh juice. Overall, these results highlight canistel as a promising raw material for developing functional tropical fruit wine with potential health benefits and industrial applications.

Coffee quality is a complex trait influenced by both genetic compositions and environmental factors. In Ethiopia’s Limmu coffee-growing area, the joint effect of genotype and environment on raw and cup quality attributes is still not well understood, restricting the choice of top hybrids for premium coffee production. This study examined the interactive effects of genetic and environmental factors on the raw and cup quality of Limmu coffee hybrids, emphasizing professional cupping evaluation. Seventeen coffee entities (10 crosses, 5 parental lines, and 2 standard checks) were cultivated across Jimma, Agaro, and Gera Agricultural Research Subcenters between 2019 and 2022 using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The washed processed beans were evaluated employing a completely randomized design (CRD) for raw and cup attributes by five certified Q-grade cuppers following the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) protocols. Physical quality comprised screen size (15%) and raw quality (40%), which included bean shape and make (15%), color (15%), and odor (10%). Cup quality (60%) included aromatic quality (5%), aromatic intensity (5%), acidity (10%), astringency (5%), bitterness (5%), body (10%), flavor (10%), and overall quality (10%). The results showed significant genotype-by-environment (G × E) interactions influencing both raw and cup quality. Hybrids L03/01 × L45/01 and L03/01 × L55/01 attained superior raw (36.11%–37.56%) and cup quality (42.61%–47.33%) scores, leading to high total quality (78.67%–84.39%). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive relationships (r = 0.82–0.91, p < 0.05) between total quality and key cup attributes, including acidity, body, flavor, bitterness, and overall quality. Highland sites, such as Gera, consistently raised sensory scores, underscoring the impact of altitude and temperature on coffee quality. Three hybrids, L67/01 × L45/01, L03/01 × L55/01, and L20/03 × L55/01, showed outstanding sensory performance confirmed by professional cuppers, providing promising opportunities for premium-grade coffee and sustainable varietal improvement in Ethiopia.

The demand for vegetable oils among consumers has risen over the past few years. This study aimed to assess the fatty acid profile of popular vegetable oils to identify strategies from a public health perspective. This cross-sectional research involved the analysis of 96 samples sourced from six leading brands of sunflower and frying oils, obtained from four different chain supermarkets in Tehran, Iran, with two random samples selected for each brand. The fatty acid profiles were determined via gas chromatography. The data were analyzed via SPSS software. The fatty acids with the highest means ± SEs in sunflower and frying oils were saturated fatty acids: palmitic acid, 7.04 ± 0.10 and 7.47 ± 0.41; monounsaturated fatty acids: oleic acid, 25.89 ± 1.03 and 34.81 ± 4.15; and polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid, 61.53 ± 1.01 and 49.65 ± 3.80; SAFs, 10.50 ± 0.11 and 10.89 ± 0.62; and TFAs, 0.51 ± 0.06 and 0.67 ± 0.11 g/100 g, respectively. These results fell within the acceptable standard limits and demonstrated the extent to which the oil industry has been able to decrease the levels of transfats in these oils over the past few decades. Based on discussions and dialogs with stakeholders, including policymakers and oil producers, by identifying the challenges, it was determined how to provide proposals and implementation solutions with the least risk to consumer health. Therefore, it is essential to implement a robust information, education, and communication system.

Laetiporus sulphureus is an edible and medicinal mushroom. Laetiporus sulphureus polysaccharide (LSP) is an effective biological agent for alleviating the oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic effect of LSP. In vitro antioxidant activity of LSP were evaluated by assessing the ability to scavenge free radicals, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (•OH), and 3-ethylbenzoth-iazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS). In vivo antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic effect of LSP were evaluated by the model of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Antioxidant test results showed that LSP (1 mg/mL) could scavenge the radicals of DPPH, •OH, and ABTS, with the inhibition value of 40.41%, 12.68%, and 62.74%, respectively. In addition, LSP increased the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in C. elegans. This research also found that LSP (1 mg/mL) could decrease the malondialdehyde (MDA) content (67%), reactive oxygen species (ROS) content (62%), and relative fat level (55%) in C. elegans, compared with the control group. The present findings suggested that LSP could alleviate hyperlipidemia by decreasing the MDA content and fat accumulation in C. elegans. The above results suggested that LSP could be used as a potential approach to alleviate hyperlipidemia as well as contribute to the development of LSP-related products.

Fresh fruits could be heavily contaminated through damaged tissues and become dangerous to human health if the processing standards are not followed. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the microbiological risks and food safety knowledge of fruit vendors. To assess food safety knowledge and practices, a questionnaire was developed, validated and piloted, and used to recruit 70 fresh-cut fruit vendors from seven streets of Accra. The microbial risk assessment was determined using indicators, such as total plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, faecal coliform, fungi, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella. The results showed that even though the respondents had no food safety training, they had training on good hygienic practices (54%). They exhibited sufficient knowledge when they showed that fresh-cut fruits could be contaminated by biological hazards (87.1%); fruits and cutting instruments should be thoroughly washed before cutting, processing and packaging (90.0%); and thorough washing of fruits before packaging, transportation, storage and cutting (100.0%). They also exhibited good practices by stating that they used clean water (74.3%), a clean environment (72.9%) and personal protective equipment (100.0%) when preparing fruits. Again, they did not sell when having a cold or cough (80.0%). They, however, disagreed that fresh-cut fruits could also be contaminated by physical hazards (45.7%). Moreover, the microbial mean counts ranged from 2.84 to 3.15 log CFU/g for APC, 1.84 to 2.29 log CFU/g for Enterobacteriaceae, 2.21 to 2.29 log CFU/g for moulds and 2.42 to 2.70 log CFU/g for yeasts. No Salmonella and S. aureus were detected. While it was safe to eat fresh-cut fruits from the streets of Madina, Kaneshie and Manhean, it was risky to consume these fruits from the streets of Dzorwulu, Kwashieman, Lapaz and Adenta. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the vendors go through thorough food safety training protocols, particularly those in the affected streets, to avoid incidences of foodborne disease.

Consumers’ preference on the food market has shifted from food safeguarded with artificial preservatives to that safeguarded with antimicrobial and antioxidant preservatives derived from natural sources. This is why there is a growing interest among researchers in the food and beverage industry to explore natural antimicrobial and antioxidant preservatives as an alternative to artificial preservatives. The present investigation is, therefore, aimed at synthesising the current outcomes that have achieved success in safeguarding spoilage and growth of spoilage microbes on foodstuffs. The present study used a literature review–based approach in which peer-reviewed published papers on ‘antimicrobials and antioxidants from agri-food wastes’ were accessed from ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, PLOS, SciFinder and Web of Science databases. The findings from the papers on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of different agrifood wastes such as Citrus limon peel, Allium cepa peel, Malus domestica seeds, Daucus carota peels, Beta vulgaris peel, citrus fruit peel, Musa acuminate peels and Vitis vinifera waste extracts on meat, milk and baked products were systematically reviewed. The literature revealed that natural antioxidants resulted in a reduction in the oxidative processes in tested meat, milk and baked products. Similarly, the natural antimicrobials resulted in inhibition of the spoilage microbe growth, thereby extending the shelf life of various foods. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the agrifood waste extracts were attributed to the existence of phytochemical compounds such as phenolic acids, gallic acid, vanillic acid and flavonols. The literature has shown that bioactive compounds in agrifood waste are suitable natural antimicrobials and antioxidants and demonstrated the increase in the shelf life of food products.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) contains bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme with documented anti-inflammatory, digestive, and potential anticancer properties. This review examines the development of bromelain-infused pineapple candies as functional confections, addressing formulation challenges and health benefits. Current research demonstrates that bromelain exhibits therapeutic effects with oral bioavailability up to 12 g/day without significant adverse effects. However, critical challenges include bromelain stability during high-temperature processing (> 60°C causes rapid denaturation), pH-dependent activity loss in acidic candy matrices (pH < 4.0), sugar concentration effects on enzyme structure, and potential allergenic reactions in sensitive individuals. Innovative solutions include microencapsulation (> 80% efficiency), low-temperature processing, and controlled-release polymer systems. Despite promising health applications, gaps remain in comparative efficacy studies across different candy formulations and long-term stability data. This review critically analyzes current approaches and identifies research priorities for developing commercially viable bromelain-enriched confections.

This work aimed to assess the nutritional and antioxidant profiles of two traditional foods widely consumed in the Eastern Region of Cameroon (ERC). An ethnofood survey highlighted that the ERC has a great diversity of traditional recipes, among which Koko and Mbol, prepared with Beilschmiedia anacardioides and Gnetum africanum, respectively, are the most consumed. Koko and Mbol contained 67.46% and 75.29% of carbohydrates, 20.21% and 13.43% of fat, 423.68 mg/100 g and 81.19 mg/100 g of iron, 0.918 ± 0.12 and 0.622 ± 0.27 mg GAE/100 g of phenolic components and 0.541 ± 0.21 and 0.332 ± 0.23 mg CE/100 g of flavonoids, respectively. These results indicate that both foods can contribute substantially to dietary energy and micronutrient intake and therefore combat anaemia, caused by iron deficiency in the population of ERC. Consequently, promoting the consumption of these traditional foods, which can be inserted into the official food composition table of Cameroon, might support nutritional strategies aimed at improving public health in the region.

Heavy metal contamination in rice, a staple food in northern Iran, poses significant health risks to consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of natural biosorbent, combination of apple pomace and lemon peel powders, in reducing heavy metal concentrations in rice grain (Oryza sativa) consumed in northern Iran. Rice grain samples were collected from Guilan and Mazandaran provinces, and heavy metal analyses were conducted by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Various pretreatment strategies were applied, including rinsing, soaking in 2% saline solution for 1 and 2 h, and incorporating biosorbents at different concentrations (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 15%). Samples were then cooked using two methods: Kateh (traditional Iranian method) and draining (general method) to investigate the effect of biosorbent effect on heavy metal decontamination. The results showed the presence of lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) in rice grain sample, at levels of 2.918, 31.722, and 0.204 mg/kg, respectively. Both rinsing and salt soaking significantly reduced heavy metal levels in raw rice grain (p < 0.05). Increasing the biosorbent concentration led to greater reductions, with the most substantial decrease observed at 15% biosorbent. Postcooking analysis indicated that both cooking methods further reduced metal concentrations; however, the Kateh method demonstrated superior efficacy, likely due to extended contact time and retention of the cooking medium. Notably, using 5% biosorbent in the Kateh cooking method yielded the most effective in reduction of Pb, Ni and Cd to 0.016, 0.159, and 0.031 mg/kg without any difference in the sensory acceptance. These findings suggest a promising, low-cost, and practical approach for mitigating heavy metal contamination in rice grain through household-level interventions.