Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture最新文献

Background: Almond hulls (AH) are the main by-product of almond processing for human consumption and contain bioactive compounds that can improve meat quality. Although AH are used as feed for dairy cows in some countries, information on their potential effects on meat quality is limited. This study evaluated the effects of partly replacing conventional feeds with AH in the concentrate of light lambs on carcass traits and meat quality.

Results: Thirty Manchega lambs (15 females and 15 males) were divided into three homogenous groups according to body weight and sex, and each was fed a concentrate containing 0, 60 or 120 g AH kg ^-1. Lambs were slaughtered at approximately 23.0 kg of body weight and carcass traits, chemical composition, pH and fatty acid (FA) profile of meat, and changes in color and lipid oxidation of meat over 6 days storage were analyzed. Inclusion of AH in the concentrate did not affect either carcass weight and conformation or meat pH and chemical composition. However, feeding AH significantly improved the meat FA profile by increasing (P < 0.05) its polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) content, which may be related to modifications of ruminal FA biohydrogenation. No significant effects of AH on meat color or lipid oxidation over the storage period were observed. Sex-related differences were minimal, but males showed higher PUFA content and lower intramuscular fat than females.

Conclusion: Replacing conventional feeds with up to 120 g AH kg ^-1 in the concentrate of light lambs can enhance the FA profile of their meat without compromising carcass characteristics or meat composition. © 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: As a rapid detection method, the electronic nose exhibits enormous potential in food quality monitoring. However, the response data generated by electronic nose detection are highly complex time-series data. Traditional data analysis models struggle to fully resolve such long-sequence non-linear signals, leading to insufficient feature extraction and poor prediction accuracy.

Results: We propose a novel total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) prediction method based on the attention improved encoder long short-term memory (AIE-LSTM) hybrid network with a dual-stream feature fusion architecture. A modified informer encoder captures temporal dependencies via multi-head attention, and a temporal down-sampling layer compresses sequence dimensions at the same time as preserving key trend features. In addition, a bidirectional LSTM network processes raw voltage sequences and manually designed physical features separately. Finally, a multi-level feature fusion mechanism integrates these two types of features through fully connected layers to output predictions. Experimental results demonstrated that the AIE-LSTM model achieved the optimal TVB-N prediction performance across nine batches of electronic nose datasets, with an average coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.960, as well as the lowest relative standard deviation of R², root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Notably, the model exhibited the best performance in the fourth batch, where the R², RMSE and MAE between the predicted and actual TVB-N values reached 0.979, 0.988 and 0.589, respectively.

Conclusion: This model significantly improves the prediction accuracy of fish TVB-N content, providing a reliable technical solution for the rapid, non-destructive and accurate detection of fish freshness. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Italy harbors one of the richest grapevine biodiversities worldwide, yet the sensory identity of wines from many native cultivars remains poorly defined despite their relevance on the market at regional, national, or international levels. This study provides a systematic sensory characterization of 18 Italian monovarietal white wines, analyzed across 246 commercial samples, including wines never investigated before by sensory analysis. Analysis of variance, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal component analysis were applied to Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) data performed by trained panelists to define a lexicon and identify the sensory attributes characterizing and discriminating the 18 wine types.

Results: A statistically based lexicon comprising 29 olfactory and seven taste/mouthfeel descriptors was defined. Multivariate statistics showed that the 18 monovarietal wine types belong to four main olfactory dimensions, labeled as fruity-balsamic, thiolic-mineral, floral-sweet, and toasty-dried. A three-dimensional space was defined along the four olfactory directions. Müller Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Albana, and Falanghina emerged as the most representative wines in these directions, outlining the vertices of a spatial framework within and around which the other wines are distributed. Sensory wheels representing structured visual synthesis of the most relevant attributes (odor, taste, mouthfeel) were developed as 'identity models', providing systematic tools for defining wines' varietal typicality.

Conclusion: Results are relevant for enologists and wine sellers as standardized reference sensory models for production and communication, as benchmarks for PDO/PGI quality control and disciplinary improvement, for researchers to advance modeling of wine sensory quality through sensometabolomic wine studies. Results also support the international recognition and valorization of Italian grapevine biodiversity according to Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals. © 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: The demand for minimally processed foods has increased markedly over the past two decades. Two varieties of freshly cut vegetables (rocket and spinach), as fresh and freeze-dried vegetables, were treated by high-pressure (HP) processing. The time and pressure values tested were 2 min for 200, 400 and 600 MPa; and additionally 4 and 5 min for 200 MPa.

Results: The scores from sensory analysis of fresh rocket and spinach were uniformly low across all evaluated attributes, resulting in the sensory data being inappropriate to find a positive effect of the HP treatment on the fresh vegetables. Nevertheless, freeze-dried rocket and spinach exhibited a significantly greater resilience to HP treatments, maintaining acceptable sensory attributes. HP treatments demonstrated a clear impact on reducing microbial loads in rocket and spinach leaves. For both matrices, pressures of 400 MPa and above applied for 2 min led to reductions in aerobic mesophilic bacteria compared to untreated controls. Finally, HP treatment did not produce significant modification in trace element bioaccessibility of vegetables studied.

Conclusions: The application of HP treatment on the fresh cut vegetables studied (rocket and spinach) showed that it is not an effective technology when these vegetables are presented in fresh form. In contrast, HP treatment was more effective from an organoleptic point of view on these vegetables in freeze-dried form. Regarding the reduction of the microbial load, intensive treatments (above 400 MPa) are necessary to find a significant effect. Finally, HP treatment did not affect the trace element bioaccessibility. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

The papaya tree (Carica papaya L.), native to the Americas, is cultivated in tropical regions and holds substantial economic importance, with an estimated export volume of 365 000 t in 2023. However, diseases caused by viruses, fungi, bacteria, and nematodes can lead to severe losses. Among the more than 38 known viral diseases affecting papaya, only a few poses serious threats to cultivation, notably Papaya Ringspot, Papaya Mosaic, and Papaya Sticky Disease (PSD). Emerging technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, offer promising avenues to enhance plant resistance. This study examines regulatory paradigms in key papaya-producing and importing countries, highlighting the need for international regulatory harmonization to reduce trade barriers and improve market access for CRISPR-edited cultivars. We demonstrate the feasibility of CRISPR-based genome editing in papaya (Carica papaya L.) by targeting phytoene desaturase as a proof-of-concept marker gene and β-1,3-glucanase, a resistance gene identified through proteomic profiling of host-pathogen interactions during infection by the papaya meleira virus (PMeV and PMeV2) complex. This virus complex causes PSD, a major threat to papaya production, rendering the fruit commercially unviable due to negative effects on texture and flavor as well as inhibiting the formation of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), and the fruits become susceptible to fruit flies, which are quarantine pests. Despite extensive traditional breeding efforts, resistant papaya genotypes have yet to be identified, underscoring the need for innovative approaches. However, translating advancements into commercial applications remains challenging due to the diverse and often inconsistent regulatory frameworks governing genome-edited crops across different jurisdictions. © 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: Recently, concerns about people's health and the environment have led to an increased tendency to consume organic and functional foods that contain health-beneficial compounds and protect the ecosystem. This research was conducted to examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, health awareness, and obsession with healthy eating, as well as consumers' preferences for organic and functional foods.

Method: A total of 1022 volunteers aged 19-65 years participated in the study. General information, demographics, health information, anthropometric measurements, an organic and functional nutrition questionnaire, the Orthorexia-15 Scale (ORTO-15), and the Health Awareness Scale were applied to the participants.

Results: A total of 59.9% of the individuals were male, 60.7% were married, and 71.8% were university graduates. A slight majority of the individuals (55.5%) had a healthy body weight. The organic and functional food consumption scores of women were significantly higher than those of men (P = 0.005, P = 0.046, respectively). The organic food consumption score and health awareness score of individuals aged 31 years and above were significantly higher than those of individuals aged 19-30 years (P = 0.002, P < 0.001, respectively). Participants aged 19-30 years had higher functional food consumption than those aged 31 years or older, single participants had higher functional food consumption than married participants, and university graduates had higher functional food consumption than primary school graduates. In addition, there was correlation between health awareness and orthorexia nervosa (ON) (r = -0.229, P < 0.001), organic food consumption and ON (r = -0.080, P = 0.011), organic food consumption and health awareness (r = 0.153, P < 0.001). There was correlation between functional food consumption and ON (r = -0.125, P < 0.001), functional food consumption and health awareness (r = 0.124, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Health-oriented attitudes of individuals are effective in their dietary behaviours. However, it was determined that orthorexic tendencies predicted both organic and functional food consumption, while health awareness was a significant predictor only of organic food consumption. Policies aimed at improving health awareness are expected to increase demand for organic and functional foods. Comprehensive and extended-duration studies are necessary to determine the factors that influence the consumption of these foods. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The growing demand for nutrient-rich food emulsions requires an optimised emulsification process to enhance stability and functionality. In this paper, the effects of ultrasound parameters and oil composition on emulsion behaviour were analysed. Four monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (A07, Arbequina, Peranzana, Coratina) and sunflower seed oil (control) were selected to prepare emulsion samples by ultrasonication treatment (different pulse duty cycles and amplitudes) and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids as emulsifier (70 g kg^-1).

Results: Good energy-efficient conditions for emulsions (0.6 s pulse duty cycle, 90 μm amplitude, 150 s treatment time, 4384 J energy) were developed, yielding water-in-oil emulsions (conductivity: 0 μS; solubility test). Stability and microstructure depended on extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) varieties. Peranzana EVOO emulsions resulted in the most stable, exhibiting a monomodal droplet distribution (76% less than 100 nm), no creaming and a high value of consistency index (35.50 Pa s). Peranzana EVOO thinning was attributed to the synergy between abundant tocopherols and water-soluble polyphenols. Microstructure evidenced fat aggregates for monodisperse Peranzana EVOO emulsion and water droplets with a spherical shape. EVOO's fatty acid profile had a limited influence on emulsion behaviour.

Conclusion: Oil selection is a key factor. In fact, Peranzana EVOO, with a balanced antioxidant profile and a monomodal microstructure, could be a suitable option for preparing stable, functional emulsions. Water- and oil-soluble dual-phase antioxidants improve interfacial stability. The research enables consideration of ultrasound as a sustainable tool for emulsion design, particularly for determining the optimal parameters and oil chemical composition for olive varieties. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Direct fed microbials (DFM) are natural and safe enteric methane mitigants for ruminant livestock systems. While previous studies have demonstrated the effect of Lactobacillus spp. on methane mitigation, challenges remain in effectively delivering DFM in extensive grazing systems. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of controlled feeding of a freeze-dried, DFM comprising Lactobacillus spp. (providing 1 × 10¹¹ CFU kg^-1 fresh grain) for 70 days to growing lambs on methane emissions and intensity, liveweight gain, and carcass characteristics.

Results: The average daily liveweight gain (ADG) was 24% greater (P = 0.009) and the total body condition score change from the start to the end of the experiment was 28% greater (P = 0.019) for lambs supplemented with freeze-dried Lactobacillus spp. (FDL) compared to the control lambs (CON). Average methane production (g methane per day) tended to be lower (P = 0.095) and methane intensity (g methane g^-1 ADG) was 30% lower (P = 0.008) in FDL lambs compared to CON lambs. While carcass characteristics were not statistically different, the FDL lambs showed a tendency (P = 0.088) for a greater hot standard carcass weight.

Conclusion: This experiment showed that FDL supplementation to growing lambs on a hay-based diet improved liveweight gain and lowered methane intensity over a 70-day feeding period. © 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: Phenolic extracts are recognized for their health-promoting properties, although some physicochemical characteristics limit their food applications. The present study aimed to valorize orange juice by-products through enzymatic and hydroalcoholic extraction to obtain flavonoid ingredients and to evaluate their application in pectin-based jelly candies as a functional delivery system.

Results: Hydroalcoholic extraction yielded higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, with flavonoids, particularly hesperidin, as the predominant compound. Enzymatic extraction favored the recovery of aglycone forms, especially hesperetin. The incorporation of both extracts (0.1 and 0.2 g kg^-1) into jelly candies preserved key techno-functional properties, including moisture (15.34-16.91%) and water activity (0.7285-0.7375), with extract-specific effects on texture (hardness, adhesiveness and stickiness) and color attributes. HPLC analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of characteristic flavonoids into the candy matrix. Despite differences in phenolic content among extracts, the extract type did not significantly affect phenolic bioaccessibility after in vitro simulated digestion. All formulations exhibited controlled release and high phenolic bioaccessibility (> 90%), indicating effective protection and delivery of bioactive compounds within the pectin matrix.

Conclusion: Orange by-products can be upcycled into flavonoid extracts suitable for incorporation into pectin-based jelly candies without compromising technological quality. The high phenolic bioaccessibility highlights the potential of these candies as functional confectionery products. It supports the use of pectin gels as effective bioactive delivery systems within a circular economy framework. © 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: To improve bread quality and mitigate the potential health risks associated with synthetic preservatives such as sodium dehydroacetate (SD), this study developed a natural preservative system composed of chitosan (CS) and fermented whey (FW) as an alternative.

Results: A series of bread formulations containing different ratios of CS and FW (0.5% CS + 0% FW, 0% CS + 0.5% FW, 0.5% CS + 0.5% FW, 1% CS + 0% FW, and 0% CS + 1% FW), along with 0% additive and 0.1% SD, were investigated. Among these, the composite of 0.5% CS and 0.5% FW was identified as optimal. Rheological analysis and scanning electron microscopy showed that this composite significantly enhanced dough viscoelasticity and promoted the formation of a stronger gluten network capable of effectively retaining gas. In subsequent bread quality assessments, the CS-FW composite markedly increased specific volume by 12.4% and slowed staling, whereas SD addition reduced specific volume by 27.2% and accelerated the staling process. During 42 days of storage, bread containing the CS-FW composite maintained aerobic plate count below 10 CFU g^-1 and exhibited lower hardness and chewiness, higher elasticity, and more stable moisture, resulting in a shelf life extended approximately sixfold compared with the blank group.

Conclusion: The CS-FW composite matched or exceeded the effectiveness of the synthetic preservative SD through a multi-targeted mechanism that simultaneously enhanced sensory properties and ensured microbial safety. This work provides a natural, dual-function approach for extending bread shelf life and improving overall product quality. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.