Journal of Food Science最新文献

The current study assessed the possibility of developing a beef-based high-protein snack product, focusing on an integrative analytical approach that combines physicochemical and acoustic properties, as well as a comparative nutritional and protein quality advantage over starch-based controls. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in protein content from 34.45% to 41.6% with a corresponding increase in beef powder (BP) from 60% to 70%, respectively, which was more than seven times the protein content compared to the market-dominant potato chips. Texture analysis results revealed that hardness increases with the addition of BP, and there was no significant difference in hardness/crispiness and sound pressure levels between the market-dominant potato-based snack (C2) (2.39 N, 76.77 dB) and the 60%BP sample (3.10 N, 76.29 dB). Scanning electron micrographs showed that a 60%BP snack formed comparatively smaller, even pores, enhancing the crispiness, which is quite similar to the image results of C2. All essential amino acids (EAAs) increased significantly with increasing BP (from 60% to 70%), and so did the amino acid score (AAS), which was the same for essential amino acid index (EAAI), predicted biological value (p-BV), and predicted protein efficiency ratio (p-PER) values. The sample C2 showed the lowest EAA content, AAS values, and EAAIs, as well as mathematically negative p-BV and p-PER values. The results suggested that second-grade beef can be used to develop an innovative snack product with high protein quality and crispy textural properties.

Practical Applications

This study developed a beef-based snack that offers high-quality protein and essential amino acids, making it a healthier alternative to conventional crispy chips. These findings on how the addition of beef powder affects instrumental texture, acoustic texture, and microstructure provide insights for the development of an innovative, healthy snack with a consumer-preferred texture. The results emphasized that second-grade beef has a strong potential to emerge as a nutritious functional ingredient in the snack industry, contributing to improved global health. Additionally, the use of second-grade beef cuts offers a lower production cost and reduced meat waste, thereby improving the overall economic feasibility and sustainability of the snack and meat industries.

ABSTRACT

Probiotic microencapsulation systems have traditionally prioritized biological parameters, often neglecting the role of structural and physicochemical characteristics in determining functional performance. This gap limits predictive design, particularly because probiotics can influence wall material architecture through structural and interfacial interactions. This study evaluated these interactions between Bacillus clausii and nondigestible carbohydrate matrices (resistant maltodextrin, alginate, and inulin) to enhance the thermal and mechanical stability of a probiotic delivery system. Microencapsulation of Bacillus clausii was carried out using spray drying, followed by the assessment of physicochemical, microstructural, vibrational, spectroscopic, crystallographic, and thermal properties, as well as viability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and morphology confirmed successful encapsulation, while thermal cycling revealed distinct structural recovery behaviors linked to probiotic–matrix interactions, reflected in particle size and zeta potential changes. IFourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy analyses indicated molecular-level modifications, including altered glycosidic bonds and polysaccharide rearrangements, which were supported by the amorphous architecture identified through X-ray diffraction (XRD), favoring water sorption and controlled release. Thermal properties revealed a nonreversible phase transition near 59°C, suggesting matrix reorganization and enhanced enthalpic stability when probiotics were present. High viability under gastrointestinal simulation reached 9.85–10.25 Log colony-forming units (CFU)/g. Together, these findings reveal that B. clausii functions not merely as biological cargo but as a structural comodulator of the matrix, offering an advantage over previous encapsulation studies that considered probiotics as passive components.

ABSTRACT

Obesity, a global health crisis, is often accompanied by metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. This study investigates the anti-obesity effects of black soybean meal insoluble dietary fiber modified by ultra-high pressure and its impact on gut microbiota and metabolites in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. UHP modification significantly enhanced the oil-holding capacity of IDF (9.47 ± 0.47 g/g) with minimal impact on purity (0.54% reduction). Animal experiments revealed that high-dose HPIDF and UP-IDF significantly inhibited weight gain, improved lipid profiles (reduced serum TG, TC, and LDL-C; increased HDL-C), and mitigated hepatic lipid deposition and liver injury in HFD mice. UP-IDF intervention restored gut microbiota diversity, increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Blautia, Lactobacillus), and elevated short-chain fatty acid levels, particularly butyric acid. These findings demonstrate that UHP-modified IDF exerts synergistic anti-obesity effects by modulating gut microbiota and its metabolites, offering a promising dietary strategy for obesity intervention and high-value utilization of black soybean meal.

This study focused on the characterization of the bioactive composition of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) and the evaluation of freeze, microwave, and convective drying (CD) on its chemical profile, oil yield, and antioxidant activity (AA). PSO characterization primarily included the determination of bioactive and fatty acid profiles using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QToF-MS) and gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC–FID), along with colorimetric assays for total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and antioxidant capacity. Freeze drying (FD) outperformed convective and microwave drying (MD) in the case of total phenolic content (TPC) (5.16 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (TFC) (1.96 mg CE/g), and AA (13.24 mg TE/g) and exhibited the highest concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (93.41%). MD exhibited the lowest values for oil yield (11.93%), showed intermediate values for TPC, TFC, total tannin content (TTC), and AA and exhibited the lowest concentration of PUFAs (88.98%). CD resulted in the highest oil yield (15.84%) and TTC (9.43 total tannins/g) but in the lowest TPC (4.07 mg GAE/g), TFC (1.21 mg CE/g), and AA (3.89 mg TE/g). Overall, 32 bioactive compounds (BCs) were identified through UHPLC–QToF-MS analysis. Regarding the sum of BCs concentration, FD (56.07 mg BCs/g) and MD (52.79 mg BCs/g) outperformed convective (25.83 mg BCs/g) drying. Sixteen of these BCs were reported in PSO for the first time, including caffeoyl–glucose, tyrosol, and sakuranetin. GC–FID analysis confirmed the presence of 13 fatty acids in PSO, dominated by PUFAs. The findings confirm FD as the most effective method for maximizing oil yield, while preserving PSO's BCs, and highlight PSO's potential use as a high-value product for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.

Practical Applications

The increasing demand for functional food products necessitates the development of technologies that preserve their bioactivity. This research demonstrates that convective drying negatively affects the bioactive profile of pomegranate seed oil (PSO). For nutraceutical applications demanding maximum antioxidant activity and bioactive concentration of PSO, freeze, and microwave drying proved superior. These findings provide evidence for processors to shift toward these technologies to ensure final PSO products meet high bioactive specifications.

This study leverages attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy combined with a novel residual composite convolutional neural network (Res-MCNN) to address the critical challenge of geographical origin authentication in red wines. By analyzing 200 samples from distinct Chinese regions (Xinjiang and Hebei), we demonstrate the efficacy of ATR-FTIR in capturing region-specific spectral fingerprints, particularly highlighting the role of titratable acids and phenolic compounds as discriminative markers. The proposed Res-MCNN model integrates advanced preprocessing techniques, including competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) for wavelength selection and decision tree pooling for feature optimization, achieving an exceptional classification accuracy of 97.975%. Our findings reveal that while alcohol and sugar content variations introduce sensitivity in model performance, the robust extraction of high-dimensional nonlinear spectral features ensures reliable origin traceability when key chemical parameters are controlled. The proposed Res-MCNN model achieved a classification accuracy of 97.975%, a sensitivity of 98.2%, a specificity of 97.6%, and an AUC of 0.989, demonstrating highly reliable geographical discrimination performance. Furthermore, controlled experiments showed that variations in alcohol (10%–15%) and sugar content (1–20 g/L) altered accuracy by no more than 0.6%, confirming that the model maintains stable traceability performance when key chemical parameters remain within typical ranges.

Temperature abuse of chilled foods can promote Bacillus cereus multiplication, increasing the risk of foodborne illness. Therefore, growth modeling is a practical tool for designing effective temperature control strategies. In this study, we monitored B. cereus growth in shumai (traditional Chinese dumplings) at isothermal conditions (10–35°C). Quantification of cereulide synthetase (ces) gene by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) enabled the measurement of logarithmic bacterial increases during storage. Growth responses to temperatures were described using the Baranyi model, whereas Ratkowsky and hyperbolic models characterized temperature effects on growth rates and lag phase. The models fit the growth data well, with high R² and low root mean squared errors (RMSE) values. The estimated theoretical minimum growth temperature (T_min) for B. cereus in shumai was 6.3°C. Model validation under isothermal (18°C and 32°C) and dynamic (6- and 4-step fluctuating) temperature profiles showed good agreement with observed data. Acceptable prediction zone analysis (−1.0 to 0.5 log CFU/g) yielded a proportion of prediction error (pPE) of 0.92–1.00, confirming model reliability. This qPCR-based predictive modeling approach provides a robust tool for estimating B. cereus growth in complex food matrices, supporting risk assessment of temperature abuse in chilled food products.

Practical Applications

Growth models help determine shelf life, optimize processing and storage conditions, and support food safety systems such as hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). However, because bacterial growth behavior varies with specific food matrices, tailored predictive growth models are often required. Real-time PCR, with its high accuracy and resistance to interference from background microflora, offers a reliable method for bacterial growth monitoring during challenge tests, facilitating the development of robust predictive models across diverse food products and strengthening both food safety and quality control.

The increasing environmental footprint of industrial livestock farming, including biodiversity loss, pollution, water depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions, has raised global concerns about the long-term sustainability of conventional meat production. Consequently, the development of plant-based meat analogues has emerged as a promising solution for consumers. These analogues are formulated to replicate the texture and other organoleptic properties of conventional meat, while offering the health and nutritional advantages. This review provides a comprehensive overview of plant-derived protein sources, including legumes, cereals, oilseeds, mycoproteins, and other emerging alternatives used in the formulation of meat analogues. Furthermore, this review also studies the physicochemical and nutritional properties, as well as the efficacy of formulation and consumer acceptability. Advanced protein extraction methods such as enzyme-assisted, ultrasound, pulsed electric field (PEF), and both wet and dry fractionation are also discussed in this review, which are crucial for improving protein functionality. Furthermore, this review also highlights the strengths and limitations of various processing techniques, including electrospinning, 3D printing, shear cell technology, extrusion, and others. Understanding these processing technologies is essential and crucial for optimizing the quality of meat analogues, which further enables researchers and professionals to select appropriate methods based on functional outcomes, scalability, and sustainability goals. Overall, this review highlights the potential of meat analogues in supporting healthier and more sustainable dietary goals globally.

The ability of Hanseniaspora uvarum to improve wine quality is limited by Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to growth inhibition by S. cerevisiae. In this study, dual RNA-Seq was used to study the interaction mechanism of S. cerevisiae and H. uvarum at T1 (24 h) and T2 (72 h) during direct co-fermentation (DCF). The results indicated that H. uvarum exhibited a significant growth inhibition during DCF. The sugar consumption and ethanol production of S. cerevisiae were stronger than those of H. uvarum during single fermentation (SF). The presence of H. uvarum significantly reduced the sugar consumption and ethanol production rate of S. cerevisiae during DCF. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of S. cerevisiae (2152) were more than those of H. uvarum (801) during DCF. Results of transcriptomic analysis showed that carbon flux in S. cerevisiae was redirected to glycogen accumulation, whereas that of H. uvarum was redirected to trehalose metabolism. S. cerevisiae experienced oxidative stress and upregulated genes involving stress response and sulfur and amino acid metabolism. H. uvarum experienced alcohol-related stress during DCF. Additionally, different regulation of ergosterol metabolic pathway represents a key molecular mechanism underlying the dominance of S. cerevisiae. The results provide not only a theoretical basis for understanding yeast–yeast interactions but also a reference for study of other microbial interactions.

Strawberries are highly nutritious but extremely perishable, leading to considerable postharvest losses. Sustainable preservation strategies such as Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and bioactive edible coatings are being increasingly investigated. This study examined the combined effects of CO₂-enriched MAP and a pectin-based coating supplemented with Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (EO) on the physicochemical and nutritional quality of strawberries during cold storage. Six treatments were tested: (1) normal atmosphere without coating (control), (2) normal atmosphere with EO-coating (NEO), and (3–6) four MAP conditions (2.5% or 10% O₂ combined with 15% or 20% CO₂), each applied with EO-coating. Then, strawberries were maintained at 4°C for 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days. During storage, weight loss, decay incidence, firmness, color, soluble solids, total phenolic, total anthocyanins, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and individual phenolic compounds (gallic acid, quercetin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, kaempferol, malvidin, catechin, and epicatechin) were assessed. Results showed that treatments combining EO-coating with high CO₂ MAP (particularly 10% O₂–20% CO₂) significantly reduced decay (by up to 70% at day 16), maintained firmness (2.17 N vs. 1.63 N for control), and limited weight loss (<4% vs. >8% in control). Also, these treatments enhanced the retention of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Quercetin and ferulic acid exhibited relative stability under all conditions, while anthocyanins (malvidin) and free phenolic acids (caffeic and gallic acids) were more prone to degradation. In conclusion, the integration of CO₂-enriched MAP with EO-based coatings represents a promising technique to extend strawberry shelf life, reduce postharvest losses, and preserve both nutritional and commercial quality.

Practical Applications

This research supports the development of packaging solutions for strawberries that help them stay fresh longer, reducing spoilage and food waste. These methods could be adopted by fruit growers, packers, or retailers to deliver better-quality fruit with extended shelf life to consumers.

Milk adulteration is a threat to food safety and public health. It is especially tricky in regions where getting quick, inexpensive tests is not always an option. To tackle this, we have come up with a simple, affordable approach. It uses easy image analysis combined with machine learning to detect common adulterants in milk. Instead of relying on laboratory equipment, all we need are straightforward optical images—just photos of milk samples. From there, we look for clues that indicate contamination, making the whole process more accessible and practical. We had taken digital photographs of milk samples mixed with water, detergent, starch, and synthetic milk. From these images, we found key statistics: the average brightness, how much it varies, and higher order features like skewness and kurtosis. These help us understand how the light scattering and turbidity change as adulterants are added. Using principal component analysis (PCA), we simplified the data, and then support vector machines (SVMs) helped classify that samples were adulterated versus pure. The results were not perfect, but they were promising. Our model hit about 85% accuracy in identifying adulteration across the different types and amounts of contaminants. In particular, adding water made the mean intensity increase, whereas detergent, starch, and synthetic milk each produced unique patterns in skewness and kurtosis due to their scattering effects. Compared to expensive spectroscopic solutions, this approach is faster, does not require chemicals, and is economical, making it ideal for quick checks, even right at the point of sale or in rural areas.