Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture最新文献

Background: Postweaning intestinal damage in piglets is a challenging issue in the livestock industry. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are important metabolic products of the gut microbiota and are widely recognized for their role in maintaining normal colonic function and regulating the intestinal immune system. However, the effects of branched short-chain fatty acid (BSCFA) isobutyrate on intestinal health remain largely unknown. This study aims to explore the potential of isobutyrate for alleviating postweaning intestinal damage.

Results: This study indicates that isobutyrate can alleviate diarrhea in weaned piglets, enhance their growth performance, and optimize the gut microbiota. This is mainly achieved through increasing the relative abundance of probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Megasphaera, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003, while concurrently reducing the relative abundance of potentially harmful bacteria such as Clostridium_sensu_stricto-1 and Escherichia-Shigella. It promotes the production of SCFAs, including acetate, isobutyrate, and butyrate. Furthermore, it activates G-protein-coupled receptors (GPR43/109A), inhibits the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway, strengthens the intestinal barrier function, and regulates the expression of related cytokines.

Conclusion: In summary, exogenous isobutyrate can be considered a promising feed additive for improving the intestinal microbiota and regulating intestinal health in piglets. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The conversion of biomass into high value-added platform compounds is an important method of biomass utilization. The conversion of hemicellulose represented by xylan into furfural can not only reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, but also promotes the development and utilization of non-edible biomass resources. In this study, a bifunctional solid-acid catalyst prepared from agricultural and forestry waste Pueraria (P. eduli) Residues was used to convert xylan into furfural in a biphasic system.

Results: In this study, P. eduli Residues was used as raw material to prepare a P. eduli Residues-based carbon solid-acid catalyst (PR/C-SO₃H-Fe) by one-step sulfonation carbonization and impregnation. The catalyst catalyzes the conversion of xylan to furfural in a biphasic system (2-methyltetrahydrofuran/water). The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption. Subsequently, the experimental conditions were studied and optimized, such as metal species, iron ion concentration, reaction time and temperature, volume ratio of organic phase to water phase and ratio of substrate to catalyst. The results showed that under conditions of 160 °C, 50 mg catalyst, 100 mg xylan and 7 mL reaction solvent, the yield of furfural could reach 78.94% after 3 h of reaction.

Conclusion: This study provides an effective research method for the conversion of xylan into furfural, and provides a reference for the catalytic conversion and utilization of hemicellulose in agricultural and forestry biomass. It also provides a feasible method for the resource utilization of agricultural and forestry waste. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Ready-to-eat snacks are very popular. However, they have a high glycemic index and lack proteins & micronutrients. This study prepared protein-enriched corn extrudates by adding chickpea grit supplements at varying concentrations (0-100 g kg^-1).

Results: The protein contents of 100 g kg^-1 supplemented extrudates increased by 66.66% and dietary fiber contents increased by 48.02% in comparison with the control. Bulk density increased by 1.46 times. However, the expansion ratio, porosity, and water absorption index decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The health-promoting characteristics of the extrudates increased in comparison with the control sample, i.e., total phenolic content increasing by 17.84%, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) contents by 11.38%, and 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) content by 9.59%. Likewise, the potassium contents increased by 24.63% with the inclusion of 10% chickpea in corn extrudates. Sensory evaluation revealed that corn extrudates with up to 60 g kg^-1 added chickpea achieved the highest acceptability among panelists.

Conclusion: The addition of chickpea produced corn extrudates with higher protein and mineral content, which could mitigate malnutrition. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: It is imperative to enhance the quality of sprouts since they are a rich source of various primary and secondary metabolites. The objective of this work was to examine how multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) priming at various concentrations affected the nutritional qualities of four horticultural plants (T. foenum-graecum, L. grandiflorum, L. sativum and A. graveolens) and their sprouting processes.

Results: Among the four applied concentrations (10-60 mgL^-1), MWCNTs at 10 and 40 mg L⁻¹ induced the highest biomass accumulation in L. grandiflorum and T. foenum-graecum, respectively, while 60 mg L⁻¹ was most effective for L. sativum and A. graveolent. MWCNTs induced growth by enhancing photosynthesis, as shown by increased chlorophyll content and rubisco activity, which rose by 27%, 17%, 23% and 12% in T. foenum-graecum, L. grandiflorum, L. sativum, and A. graveolens, respectively. Enhanced photosynthesis by MWCNTs improved sugar metabolism as indicated by increased activity of sugar metabolic enzymes such as amylase, starch synthase and invertase. This also supplied the carbon necessary for the production of primary (amino acids, fatty acids and organic acids) and secondary (flavonoids and polyphenols) metabolites. There was consistently higher activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase). Interestingly, species-specific reactions to MWCNT priming were observed, where L. sativum sprouts showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by A. graveolens.

Conclusion: MWCNT priming improves sprout growth and nutritional quality by boosting metabolic processes and antioxidant activity, presenting a promising approach for sustainable agriculture. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The growing demand for rosé sparkling wine has led to an increase in its production. Traditional or Charmat wine-making influence the aromatic profiles in wine. An analysis such as gas chromatography makes an accurate assessment of wines based on volatile detection but is resource intensive. On the other hand, the electronic nose (E-nose) has emerged as a versatile tool, offering rapid, cost-effective discrimination of wines, and contributing insights into quality and production processes because of its aptitude to perform a global aromatic pattern evaluation. In the present study, rosé sparkling wines were produced using both methods and major volatile compounds and polyols were measured. Wines were tested by E-nose and predictive modelling was performed to distinguish them.

Results: Volatile profiles showed differences between Charmat and traditional methods, especially at 5 months of aging. A partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was carried out on E-nose detections, obtaining a model that describes 94% of the variability, separating samples in different clusters and correctly identifying different classes. The differences derived from PLS-DA clustering agree with the results obtained by gas-chromatography. Moreover, a principal components regression model was built to verify the ability of the E-nose to non-destructively predict the amount of different volatiles analyzed.

Conclusion: Production methods of Rosé sparkling wine affect the final wine aroma profiles as a result of the differences in terms of volatiles. The PLS-DA of the data obtained with E-nose reveals that distinguishing between Charmat and traditional methods is possible. Moreover, predictive models using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection analysis and E-nose highlight the possibility of fast and efficient prediction of volatiles from the E-nose. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a cereal crop known for its biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) capacity, a plant-mediated activity limiting nitrification pathway. The use of BNI-producing plants represents an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to reduce nitrogen (N) losses, such as nitrate (NO₃ ^-) leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) gas emissions. The present study aimed to test the effectiveness of different S. bicolor cultivars in rotation to retain ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) in soils and promote N availability for the subsequent wheat crop. A two-year field rotation was established with four sorghum cultivars followed by winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Urea alone or combined with the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide was applied to promote a NH₄ ⁺-based fertilization regimes.

Results: AddingN-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide maintained higher soil NH₄ ⁺ content and reduced ammonia-oxidizing bacteria population during sorghum cultivation. However, the benefits of the inhibitor on sorghum growth were cultivar-dependent. Notably, the further reduction in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria abundance for sorghum Voyenn and the increased soil NH₄ ⁺ content for Vilomene suggested a BNI potential for these cultivars. Importantly, the Vilomene precedent enhanced wheat yield for both fertilization regimes.

Conclusion: Overall, the present study confirms that sorghum is a suitable catch crop and emphasizes the importance of selecting the proper sorghum cultivar to maximize the yield of the target wheat crop, at the same time as minimizing N losses. Furthermore, developing combined strategies with selected sorghum cultivars and the application of urease inhibitors enables to enhance sorghum productivity as forage, achieving added value to the rotation. © 2024 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: Emulsions are thermally unstable systems. This research aimed to investigate the thermal stability of fish gelatin (FG) oil-in-water emulsions in the presence of poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) as an additive after heat treatment. The study assessed how γ-PGA influences the thermal stability of FG emulsions over time, focusing on their properties, structure, and food application potential.

Results: The incorporation of γ-PGA significantly enhanced the thermal stability of FG emulsions, preserving their morphology after heating. Emulsions containing 0.1% γ-PGA showed no significant changes after 24 h at 90 °C, while emulsions without γ-PGA experienced noticeable delamination. Rheological evaluations revealed that the energy storage modulus and loss modulus of FG-γ-PGA emulsions remained consistently higher than those of FG emulsions, regardless of heating duration. Particle size analysis indicated minimal changes for FG-γ-PGA emulsions (413 nm after 24 h) compared to a substantial increase for FG emulsions (1598 nm). After heating, FG-γ-PGA emulsions demonstrated significantly higher emulsifying activity index (EAI) (74 m² g^-1 versus 22.7 m² g^-1) and emulsifying stability index (ESI) (97% versus 76%). Additionally, the texture properties of meat mince formulated with FG-γ-PGA emulsions were comparable to those containing fat, showcasing their potential as a fat replacement.

Conclusion: The study concludes that γ-PGA enhances the thermal stability of FG emulsions, maintaining their integrity and improving functional properties under heat treatment. These findings offer valuable insights for the formulation of thermally stable emulsions, presenting promising opportunities for innovative applications in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: This study applied a combined pretreatment method involving microwave and acetic acid (AA) soaking to monitor oil absorption of fried potato chips based on texture and microstructure characteristics.

Results: Results demonstrated that medium-low microwave combined with 4 h of AA soaking significantly improved the texture profile of potato chips, and reduced oil content by approximately 53.25%. Higher microwave intensity led to greater surface roughness of samples, whereas AA soaking for 1-4 h effectively reduced surface roughness. The decrease in Fm and Nwr, along with the increase in Fwr and Wc with prolonged AA soaking time for 1-4 h indicated that medium-low microwave intensity combined with AA pretreatment enhanced hardness and brittleness of samples. Microscopic examination of cell structure revealed that this combined pretreatment facilitated pectin gelation between the cell walls of potato chips, resulting in a more intact cell structure with fewer gaps. Additionally, the color of pretreated potato chips became brighter.

Conclusion: The combination of medium-low microwave intensity and AA soaking pretreatment resulted in a decrease in the oil content and improved the texture profile of fried potato chips. This study provides new strategies and insights for producing low-fat potato chips based on low-cost pretreatment. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The impact of β-sitosterol+γ-oryzanol-based oleogels or peanut oil on the protein conformation and gel quality of Nemiperus virgatus surimi was evaluated.

Results: A significant reduction in gel strength, texture parameters and water holding capacity (WHC) of surimi was found as oil concentration increased (P < 0.05). However, compared with peanut oil, the gel strength, hydrophobic interaction and disulfide bond content of surimi gel containing oleogels increased by 6.919%, 32.635% and 12.409%, respectively, when the oil concentration was 10 g kg^-1. Both oleogels and peanut oil could enhance the whiteness of surimi gel. Oleogels induced the unfolding of surimi proteins, and promoted the conformational shift from α-helix to β-sheet structure. Furthermore, oleogels filled the gaps of protein networks to make the microstructure of surimi gel more compact and uniform, improving the WHC and reducing the cooking loss.

Conclusion: γ-Oryzanol+β-sitosterol-based oleogel alleviated the adverse influences of direct addition of peanut oil on the gel and textural properties of surimi products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Cationic calcium ions can crosslink anionic alginate and pectin molecules. It was hypothesized that calcium crosslinking would improve the stability and functionality of biopolymer nanoparticles consisting of zein cores coated by alginate-pectin shells. The effects of calcium ion addition on the structural, physicochemical, and gastrointestinal properties of quercetin-loaded zein/alginate-pectin nanoparticles were therefore investigated.

Results: The nanoparticles remained stable to aggregation at calcium ion concentrations of 9 mmol/L or less but aggregated and sedimented at higher concentrations. Calcium ion reinforcement increased the particle dispersion stability even at NaCl concentrations up to 1.4 molL^-1. The presence of the calcium ions also reduced quercetin release during the early stages of simulated gastrointestinal digestion but increased its release during the later stages. The relatively high release (56.1%) of quercetin from the calcium-reinforced nanoparticles after digestion resulted in higher intracellular antioxidant activities. The pharmacokinetics of the encapsulated quercetin was measured after its oral administration to rats. The maximal concentration (C_max) of quercetin in rat plasma for calcium-reinforced nanoparticles was 6.1% higher than non-reinforced nanoparticles; the half-life (t_1/2) increased by 17.5%, and the mean retention time (MRT) was 10.0% higher (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: These results suggest that calcium ion addition improved the performance and bioavailability of nutraceutical-loaded biopolymer nanoparticles. This might find application in the food and beverage industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.