Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture最新文献

Background: The use of microorganisms and biostimulants is increasingly supported in agriculture because of their advantageous impact on plant disease management, growth enhancement and the synthesis of beneficial bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs). Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important crop and is consumed worldwide because it is an excellent source of natural compounds (i.e. beta-carotene and flavonoids) and minerals useful for human health. Although the positive effects of individual microbial applications are well-documented, the impact of microbial consortia is underexplored.

Results: In this study, the improvement of nutritional value of tomato (S. lycopersicum var. Heinz), by use of beneficial microorganisms, including selected strains of Streptomyces microflavus (S), Trichoderma harzianum (M10) and Trichoderma afroharzianum (T22), has been investigated. These microbes were applied on tomato plants, either as single inoculants or as microbial consortia. The effects were evaluated through statistical analysis of biological parameters. T22 treatments exhibited a significant increase in plant height (107.30 cm) compared to both control and M10-based treatments (104.30 and 102.80 cm, respectively). The similarities observed in plant height between S-treated plants (105.70 cm) and those treated with the combination of S and T22 (106.60 cm) highlight the potential beneficial effects of microbial consortia. Moreover, the berries were subjected to an untargeted metabolomic analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-quadrupole-time of flight that led to the identification of eighteen metabolites, including tomatine and its derivatives solafloridine. Multivariate analysis demonstrated differences in berries metabolic profiles, depending on the treatment applied. Specifically, T22-based treatment increased the accumulation of most of the identified metabolites compared to untreated plants, whereas combined treatment S + T22 induced a major accumulation of solafloridine.

Conclusion: Field microbial applications significantly induced the metabolic profile change of tomato and the accumulation of metabolites with nutraceutical value. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: This study investigated the protective effect of egg yolk hydrolysate (FC) on osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX) rats, a well-established model of postmenopausal bone loss. OVX rats were fed diets supplemented with 0.2% or 1% FC for 13 weeks. The regulatory effects were evaluated by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitecture using computed tomography, analyzing serum bone remodeling biomarkers, and examining osteoclast differentiation and resorption activity in isolated bone marrow cells. Western blotting was used to evaluate the expression of key osteoclastogenic proteins.

Results: FC 1% supplementation significantly improved trabecular BMD and percentage bone volume in OVX rats. Treatment with FC 1% also significantly increased serum osteocalcin levels (P = 0.028). Furthermore, FC 1% significantly reduced osteoclast differentiation (decreased tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive area by approximately 49%, P < 0.05) and bone resorption activity. At the molecular level, FC 1% significantly decreased cellular Fos (c-Fos) expression, whereas other osteoclastogenic proteins, including nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), cathepsin K and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), showed non-significant downward trends.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that FC exerts moderate protective effects against bone loss in OVX rats by simultaneously suppressing osteoclast activity and enhancing bone formation. These results support the potential of egg yolk hydrolysate as a functional food ingredient for osteoporosis management, particularly in postmenopausal women. Further investigations are needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and assess long-term efficacy. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Fixation technology plays a crucial role in the processing of mulberry leaf green tea (MLGT); however, the effect of different fixation treatments on tea quality remains unexplored. The present study comprehensively investigates the antioxidant capacity, key non-volatile compounds (free amino acids, tea polyphenols, soluble sugars, total flavonoids, and alkaloids), and volatile profile of MLGT produced with four fixation techniques, namely hot-air roller, microwave, blanching, and steam.

Results: The key non-volatile compounds and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP evaluation systems) were highest in the microwave-processed MLGT sample. A total of 1025 volatile compounds were identified using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and aldehydes were the most predominant aromatic compounds in MLGT. The total content of aromatic compounds (peak area) was highest in the hot-air roller processed MLGT sample. Notably, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-one, (E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadien-1-yl)-2-buten-1-one, 5-(Z)-4-heptenal, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, and 1-hepten-3-one were identified as key odor-active compounds (rOAV ≥ 100), which contributed floral, soybean, fatty, and green notes. These compounds were least abundant in the blanched MLGT sample. In addition, 481 differential volatiles were identified as contributing to the aromatic profile based on partial least squares discriminant analysis with variable importance in projection > 1 and P < 0.05. Flavor annotation from these differential compounds revealed that the microwave-processed MLGT sample contained the highest levels of desirable aromas (e.g., sweet, fruity, nutty, woody, and herbal), while the blanched tea sample had the lowest levels of unpleasant notes (e.g., green, spicy, and fatty).

Conclusion: Microwave and blanching are recommended fixation methods for MLGT processing. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing fixation technologies to enhance the flavor quality and health-related properties of MLGT. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The study analyzes novel food bars formulated from yellow biofortified maize, Bambara groundnut, and Moringa oleifera, focusing on their nutritional composition, antioxidant activity, and glycemic modulation potential. Three bar formulations were produced using optimized composite ratios: P01 (61 g kg^-1 maize, 23 g kg^-1 Bambara groundnut, 11 g kg^-1 Moringa); P02 (61 g kg^-1 maize, 23 g kg^-1 Bambara groundnut, 11.5 g kg^-1 Moringa); and P03 (45 g kg^-1 maize, 23 g kg^-1 Bambara groundnut, 8.1 g kg^-1 Moringa).

Results: Proximate composition indicated high protein (215.7-239.8 g kg^-1) and moderate fat (92.0-113.0 g kg^-1). Carbohydrate profiling showed high total starch (542.2-659.9 g kg^-1) and low sugars (40.8-62.8 g kg^-1), with amylose 96.3-160.2 g kg^-1 and amylopectin 839.9-903.7 g kg^-1. Bioactive contents were substantial (total phenolics 2.37-3.27 mg gallic acid equivalents g^-1; flavonoids 1.23-1.32 mg quercetin equivalents g^-1; carotenoids 29.76-31.27 μg g^-1), with phytate 25.8-43.0 g kg^-1. Total antioxidant capacity ranged from 6.88 to 8.73 mg ascorbic acid equivalents g^-1. Based on SC₅₀ (lower = stronger activity), P01 showed the strongest radical scavenging (DPPH SC₅₀ = 4.02 mg mL^-1; ABTS SC₅₀ = 4.01 mg mL^-1) and the strongest enzyme inhibition (α-amylase IC₅₀ = 2.98 mg mL^-1; α-glucosidase IC₅₀ = 5.40 mg mL^-1).

Conclusion: Overall, P01 emerged as the most promising formulation due to its balanced nutritional density, antioxidant performance, and glycemic-enzyme inhibition potential profile. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: This study investigates the effects of three different drying methods - sun drying, shade drying and oven drying at 55 °C. Some physical, structural and chemical properties of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. fruit before and after drying are evaluated. Freshly harvested jujube fruits from the Elazığ (Turkey) region are subjected to each drying method, and changes in surface hardness, moisture content and internal structure are analyzed. Shore A hardness measurements indicate a significant increase in fruit firmness over time, with oven-dried samples showing the highest values, followed by sun-dried samples.

Results: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals marked chemical transformations during drying, including reductions in OH stretching bands and shifts in CO and CH regions, reflecting moisture loss and modifications in sugars and polysaccharides. Weight loss calculations determine that approximately 60-65 wt% of initial mass is lost to reach a final moisture content of around 16-18 wt%. These structural and chemical changes influence the fruit's texture, rehydration ability and consumer acceptability. Drying kinetic modeling using two-term models for both oven and sun/shade drying demonstrates excellent fit (R² = 0.9995), with oven drying showing a higher effective diffusion coefficient (D_eff = 4.57 × 10^-10 m² s^-1) than sun/shade drying (D_eff = 7.96 × 10^-11 m² s^-1), indicating more efficient moisture transport.

Conclusion: Response surface methodology is employed to optimize drying conditions and evaluate mass loss over time. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The quality of pomegranate wine largely depends on the pomegranate cultivar used. However, the influence of different cultivars on key phytochemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - which determine wine antioxidant activity and sensory profile - remains unclear, hindering further development of the industry.

Results: Comprehensive analysis of four pomegranate cultivars - 'Qianzihong' (QZH), 'Jingpitian' (JPT), 'Huiliruanzi' (HLR), and 'Tianlvzi' (TLZ) - revealed distinct profiles. The QZH and JPT cultivars consistently yielded juices and wines with superior phytochemical content, including the highest levels of total phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which corresponded to the strongest antioxidant activity measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. These two cultivars also contained unique phenolic markers: 4-hydroxybenzoic acid was exclusive to both, whereas benzoic acid was found only in QZH. Furthermore, QZH juice exhibited the highest anthocyanin diversity, featuring unique compounds like malvidin-3-O-arabinoside. In contrast, TLZ samples were characterized by a simpler profile, containing only cyanidin-3-O-galactoside. Bidirectional orthogonal partial least squares (O2PLS) modeling successfully identified key, cultivar-specific antioxidant contributors. Volatile analysis detected 221 VOCs. Combined application of variable importance in the projection (VIP) and relative odor activity value (ROAV) analyses identified esters, alcohols, and acids as dominant aroma contributors, resulting in seven characteristic VOCs (such as ethyl caprylate), which effectively distinguished the wines by cultivar.

Conclusion: Pomegranate cultivars significantly influence the content and composition of phytochemicals and VOCs in the resulting wine. This study provides a scientific basis for selecting raw materials in pomegranate wine production and supports the development of cultivar-specific wine products. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities worldwide, with a complex supply chain including harvesting, processing, packaging and storage. Quality assessment of coffee is extremely important and is a key determinant of its price and export potential. It is assessed via a combination of sensory parameters including aroma, colour and intensity. However, processing, roasting and grinding can eliminate many such visual indicators. Previous efforts to identify essential contributors of specific aroma components have encountered barriers because of the limitations of the available analytical technology. The use of the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) hyphenated system allows for a multi-faceted approach in the appraisal of evolved volatiles from the coffee bean. The integrated system facilitates the monitoring of the heating process, in real-time via the FTIR element, and at specific time points using GC-MS, which aids in identification of the different volatiles/flavonoids of the coffee sample.

Results: A cohesive TGA-FTIR-GC-MS workflow was developed and optimised using a pre-roasted coffee sample as a proof of concept. The system enabled reproducible tracking of mass-loss events during controlled heating, real-time monitoring of evolved gases via FTIR and targeted GC-MS sampling at defined points. Representative classes of coffee volatiles were identified during the thermal programme. The combined analysis illustrates how thermal behaviour, volatile evolution and molecular composition can be correlated within a single framework.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the feasibility and analytical robustness of a hyphenated TGA-FTIR-GC-MS approach for studying coffee volatiles. Although based on a limited sample set, the method provides a foundation for future large-scale studies incorporating statistical modelling, expanded sample diversity and chemometric classification. With further validation, this approach has prospective applications in quality control, authenticity assessment, and process monitoring within the coffee industry. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of pulse protein emulsions (PPEs) on functional and structural properties of pork myofibrillar protein gels (MPGs) and assess their suitability as replacements for animal fats in meat products. The PPEs were prepared by mixing canola oil and hydrates of soy protein isolate (SPI), faba bean protein isolate (FBPI), and pea protein isolate (PPI).

Results: The incorporation of PPEs improved the cooking yields and gel strengths of MPGs compared to the control and canola oil-only groups, with no differences among PPE types. Pork fat also increased the cooking yields and gel strengths, but less than PPEs. The shear stress values of PPE treatments increased with shear rate and became higher than those of pork fat; SPI showed the highest values among the PPEs. Adding PPEs into MPGs decreased sulfhydryl groups by facilitating disulfide bond formation. The microstructures of MPGs incorporating PPEs showed finer and smoother surfaces, and FTIR spectra indicated that MPGs with PPEs had aggregations and stabilized lipid structures.

Conclusion: This study indicated that oil-in-water emulsions with PPEs were suitable alternatives for replacing pork fat in meat products. Additionally, FBPI and PPI were demonstrated similar functionalities to SPI. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is used in food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications and is a key precursor for the biosynthesis of sialylated human milk oligosaccharides. In the whole-cell synthesis of Neu5Ac, N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) is a critical intermediate, and an adequate supply is essential for achieving high-efficiency production. Given the high cost of cofactors, the establishment of an effective cofactor recycling system is also important for reducing process costs. In this study, the probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) ΔpMUT1ΔpMUT2 (DE3), engineered with a dual metabolic pathway, was used as the chassis cell for Neu5Ac synthesis via a designed whole-cell catalysis system, with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and pyruvate as substrates.

Results: To enhance production of the intermediate ManNAc, two synthetic pathways, with GlcNAc as substrate, were used to improve catalytic efficiency. The inherent capacity of EcN to recycle uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) to uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) met the cofactor requirements for Neu5Ac biosynthesis sufficiently. The synthesis of Neu5Ac by engineered EcN was optimized in several aspects, and whole-cell catalysis in a 5 L bioreactor achieved a Neu5Ac titer of 71.25 g L^-1.

Conclusions: The implementation of a dual pathway improved Neu5Ac production substantially. The inherent cofactor-recycling capability of the selected chassis strain, EcN, adequately supported the biosynthetic demands of Neu5Ac. These results demonstrate that EcN is a promising engineered platform for efficient Neu5Ac biosynthesis, and the approach developed here provides a cost-effective strategy by minimizing cofactor-related expenses. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the bioactive compounds, health benefits, and production processes of two globally popular stimulant beverages: coffee and matcha. Both beverages are rich in bioactive compounds such as caffeine, polyphenols, and amino acids, which contribute to their stimulating, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. Coffee, with its long history and widespread cultural significance, is primarily known for its caffeine content, which enhances alertness and cognitive function. Matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, contains higher concentrations of catechins, theanine, and caffeine, offering unique health benefits such as improved brain function, antioxidant activity, and potential anti-cancer properties. This review systematically compares the production and processing steps of coffee and matcha, highlighting the impact of these processes on their bioactive components and health benefits. Additionally, the review explores the applications of coffee and matcha in the food industry, emphasizing their roles as flavor enhancers, colorants, and functional ingredients in various food products. Despite the extensive research on coffee, studies on matcha remain limited, necessitating further investigation into its health effects and potential applications. This review employs bibliometric analysis (2021-2025) and comparatively assesses coffee and matcha within a multidimensional competence framework, covering production and processing, bioactive components, health effects, and food industry applications, providing insights into their unique properties and supporting their future development in the food and health industries. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.