Journal of texture studies最新文献

The thick white fraction of albumen (or egg white) is critical for maintaining the high quality and freshness of eggs during storage, but there is limited understanding of how storage affects the rheological behavior of this important gel. This study aimed to investigate the impact of egg storage time on the viscoelastic properties of the thick egg white (TKEW) fraction from two genetic lines (ISA-White (W) and ISA-Brown (B) hens), assessing the modification mechanisms through the analysis of microstructural characteristics. Haugh units (HU) and foaming properties of albumen were also determined. Experiments were conducted after laying (Day 0) and after 15 and 30 days of egg chilling storage. The effects of storage duration on the TKEW viscoelastic properties differed between the W and B lines, causing an increase and a decrease in gel strength (a slope) of the W and B thick albumen, respectively. These findings, together with the microstructure analysis, indicated that after 30 days of storage, the W TKEW developed a more elastic (lower loss factor, tan δ) but brittle (lower strain amplitude, γ_max) albumen network structure, whereas the B TKEW exhibited a weaker but much more deformable (higher γ_max) structure. The textural properties of freshly made meringue batters containing chilled whole egg white (EW) presented similar behavior, supported by the microstructural features observed in foams and batters. Additionally, the W TKEW showed higher HU, and the W EW produced a more stable foam (FS) during storage, although its foam capacity (FC) was lower than that of the whole albumen from the B genetic line.

To address the issue of soup turbidity in yellow alkaline dried noodles after cooking, this study examined the mechanisms of quality formation and control strategies from two perspectives: materials (flour, salt, and alkali) and processes (mixing method, water addition during mixing, and resting time). The results indicated that high-gluten flour had a higher gluten content but inferior gluten quality, as evidenced by lower stability time, gluten index, and farinograph quality number compared to low and medium gluten flours. However, high-gluten flour contributed to the production of noodles with greater hardness, tensile strength, and tensile displacement, while also reducing cooking loss at elevated alkali levels. Increased salt addition was found to decrease cooking loss, whereas the addition of alkali had the opposite effect. To achieve a high relative content of mainly characteristic volatile compound (hexanal), the alkali addition should exceed 0.4%, with optimal performance observed at 0.8%. Moreover, increasing the water content during mixing significantly reduced cooking loss but adversely affected the textural properties of the noodles. Noodles prepared using vacuum mixing exhibited a hardness that was 6.67% greater than those prepared by normal mixing. Extending the dough resting time to 30 min further reduced cooking loss by 2.02%. Considering textural properties, cooking loss, and volatile compounds, the optimal production conditions for yellow alkaline dried noodles were identified to be: high gluten flour, 2% NaCl, 0.8% Na₂CO₃, 35% water, vacuum mixing, and a resting period of 30 min. Under these conditions, the cooking loss was measured at 8.63% (±0.16, p < 0.05).

Fruit firmness is a critical attribute for evaluating the quality of peaches and nectarines. The precise measurement of fruit firmness plays a key role in maturity assessment, determining harvest periods, and predicting shelf-life. Texture analyzers are increasingly employed for accurate fruit firmness measurement, offering advantages in reducing operator errors compared to the traditional Magness–Taylor test. However, the parameters defining firmness vary across the literatures. To optimize the parameter(s) for characterizing the firmness of peaches and nectarines, we evaluated 31 parameters derived from force–displacement curves using fruit with various maturity levels and storage durations. Our findings affirmed that the conventional Magness–Taylor measurement effectively delineated firmness changes associated with varying maturity levels, while its ability to capture firmness changes due to storage duration was constrained. On the contrary, parameters extracted from the steady phase (P2), which depict flesh properties after penetrating to a specified depth, exhibited strong performance across diverse maturity stages and storage durations. As effective firmness characterization parameters should differentiate various sample groups based on both maturity and storage duration criteria—pivotal factors influencing softening, the P2-derived parameters are thus deemed more appropriate for firmness characterization. Given the stability of the steady phase (P2) within the force–displacement curve and the high correlation among the P2-derived parameters, it is more recommended to use the end force value of P2, corresponding to the force value at 10 mm depth to represent the firmness of peaches and nectarines.

This study investigated the impacts of hot water treatment (HWT) at 50°C or 25°C for 5 min and high-temperature ethylene (HTE) exposure at varying temperatures (20°C, 30°C, or 35°C) and durations (24, 48, or 72 h) on the postharvest quality and antioxidant properties of mature green tomatoes (MG). Color changes, physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant compounds, and overall antioxidant ability were assessed. HWT increased β-carotene levels and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) while preserving color metrics, despite later HTE exposure. Exposure to HTE delayed ripening, increased titratable acidity, and reduced dry matter content. The effects on antioxidant compounds varied depending on temperature and duration of exposure. A support vector regression (SVR) model predicted color parameters with high performance (R² > 0.85) for lightness (L*), greenness-redness (a*), blueness-yellowness (b*), chroma, and hue values. The findings highlight the potential of HWT in postharvest quality management and underscore the complex interplay between HWT and HTE on tomato quality parameters.

The development of egg substitutes to partially or completely replace eggs is a noteworthy food trend in academia and industry. Previous studies have systematically investigated the potential of sodium caseinate (Na-Cas)/tannic acid (TA)/octenyl succinate starch (OSA-Starch) composites as foaming agents. The objective of this study was to extend the previous study and explore the potential application of Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch composites as egg replacers. Cakes and ice creams were produced by replacing 25%, 50%, and 75% of egg white with Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch composites. Some physical, rheological, and textural properties of cake and ice cream were determined to evaluate the feasibility of replacing egg white with Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch. Compared to the control, 25% Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch composites replacement of egg whites resulted in an increase in specific volume of the prepared cakes, an increase in hardness, a decrease in elasticity, and an increase in chewiness. As the amount of Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch composites substituted for eggs increased, the melt resistance of the ice cream decreased, the hardness increased, and the viscosity decreased, while the hardness and chewiness of the cake tended to increase. In conclusion, Na-Cas/TA/OSA-Starch composites have great potential as a new food ingredient for functional dairy ingredients in ice cream and cakes.

This is a review of mucus, and its principal component, mucins, in oral processing; it examines oral processing from the viewpoint of mucins being integral functional constituents of the food after the latter's insertion into the mouth. Under this light, mucins are treated as an omni-present functional ingredient. The chemical physics of the bolus formation is examined, focused on the role of mucins in the process. The colloidal and rheological aspects of hydrocolloids–mucin systems are subsequently examined, highlighting the role of the oral glycoproteins in complex food models and complex foods. Following the physicochemical and mechanical description of the topic, mucus is examined as a determinant of a food's sensory attributes. Its role in oral sensations such as astringency is reviewed, with a special focus on phenol–mucin interactions. The effect of mucus on the perception of saltiness is then reviewed, and the ensuing strategies for structurally-based reduction of salt are considered. The review critically discusses the challenges and opportunities that emerge from the above, highlighting the role of mucins and their effect on food function.