Journal of Food Science最新文献

Botryosphaeria dothidea (B. dothidea) can cause various postharvest diseases in fruits and vegetables, leading to serious quality deterioration and economic losses. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal properties of carvone against B. dothidea and further clarify its action mechanism. The results showed that carvone exhibited significant inhibitory effects on B. dothidea, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.3 mL L⁻¹. Carvone inhibited the mycelial growth of B. dothidea by causing mycelial shrinkage and rupture, thereby damaging the mycelial structure. Meanwhile, carvone can induce the over accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alter antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby triggering lipid peroxidation, compromising cell membrane permeability and integrity, and ultimately resulting in intracellular substance leakage. In vivo experiments further confirmed that carvone reduced the lesion diameter and decay rate of green grapes and cherry tomatoes during storage. Meanwhile, it also delayed the deterioration and maintained their storage quality. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for developing carvone as a natural antifungal agent to control the postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables caused by B. dothidea.

Practical Applications

B. dothidea can cause virous postharvest diseases in fruits and vegetables. Traditional chemical fungicides not only tend to pose environmental and health risks, but also induce drug resistance in pathogens with long-term use. Carvone, a natural monoterpene ketone in plant essential oils, can inhibit various phytopathogenic fungi and serve as an ideal alternative to chemical fungicides. However, there is no research on its effect on B. dothidea, and the related antifungal mechanism remains unclear. In this study, in vitro antifungal experiments and in vivo verification were conducted to systematically explore the inhibitory effect of carvone on B. dothidea and its action mechanism. The results showed that carvone could effectively inhibit the growth of B. dothidea by disrupting cell membrane integrity, causing leakage of intracellular contents, altering cell ultrastructure, and inhibiting key metabolic enzymes. This study provides a theoretical basis for developing a novel antifungal agent to regulate the postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables.

Essential oils (EOs) from 6 genotypes of rosemary of different geographical origins were subjected to sensory, GC-Olfactometry (GC-O) as well as GC-MS analyses, to pinpoint odor-active compounds. A single EO sample was analyzed for each genotype. The quantitative descriptive sensory analysis highlighted significant differences among the essential oils in terms of rosemary, eucalyptus/balsamic, and fruity note intensities. By GC-O, 32 odor-active compounds were detected, 28 of which were identified. Flavor dilution factors (FD), determined by using the aroma extract dilution analysis method, and Odor Active Values, calculated after quantification by GC-MS analysis, consistently indicated that the compounds with the greatest impact on the overall odor were 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, 1-hexen-3-one, β-damascenone, 1-octen-3-one, linalool, and fenchol. Four out of these 7 compounds, being present at very low concentrations, had never been reported in rosemary EO (1-hexen-3-one and β-damascenone) or had previously been detected at trace level (1-octen-3-one and fenchol). These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of rosemary EO aroma.

Practical Applications

The findings of this study indicate which compounds should be prioritized in future investigations of rosemary EO's olfactory properties. This information could help emphasize the sensory excellence of genotypes with distinct geographical origins and enhance the sensory attributes of rosemary EO for use in flavoring and food preservation.

The accelerating demand for plant-based meat alternatives necessitates advanced analytical approaches capable of characterizing and optimizing texture—a key determinant of consumer acceptance. This study develops an integrated framework combining time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) and texture profile analysis (TPA) to elucidate the molecular, structural, and mechanical differences between soy-based plant-based meat analogue (PBMA) burgers and conventional Black Angus beef burgers. Gravimetric and centrifugal assays showed that Angus beef possessed higher total water content and a greater proportion of free and loosely bound water than Soy-PBMA, reflecting stronger water–protein associations in the myofibrillar muscle matrix. TD-NMR relaxation and self-diffusion analyses further demonstrated longer T₁/T₂ components and higher diffusion coefficients in beef, indicating enhanced water and lipid mobility, improved phase dispersion, and a more cohesive intracellular structure. These molecular features were consistent with TPA results, in which beef exhibited significantly higher hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness, reflecting its dense fibrous architecture. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong associations between NMR parameters and TPA metrics, establishing a mechanistic linkage between water mobility, matrix confinement, and macroscopic texture behavior. Complementary cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) imaging visualized these structural contrasts, showing tightly aligned muscle fibers and well-integrated fat globules in beef versus a porous, heterogeneous protein–starch–lipid network in Soy-PBMA. Together, these findings demonstrate that the integrated TD-NMR–TPA approach provides a powerful, non-destructive tool for connecting molecular-scale water dynamics with functional textural properties. This framework offers a predictive foundation for improving formulation, processing, and quality control in next-generation plant-based burgers.

This study aimed to develop a pH-sensitive intelligent packaging film using starch extracted from elephant foot yam (EFY) (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius). The starch was dual-modified and blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and anthocyanin-rich Clitoria ternatea extract (CTE) to produce composite films capable of real-time chicken meat freshness monitoring. LC–MS/MS profiling confirmed the presence of several phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including rutin, delphinidin, and quercetin. Structural analyses using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), along with spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), indicated good dispersion of CTE within a semicrystalline polymer matrix. Incorporation of CTE modifies film properties: film thickness increased from 0.12 to 0.16 mm, while water vapor permeability decreased from 1.77 to 1.46 g mm/m²/day/kPa. Colorimetric sensitivity increased, with ΔE values rising from 1.80 to 17.5 across a broad pH range. Mechanical performance was peaked at 3% CTE, resulting in a tensile strength of 16.36 MPa and elongation at break of 24.20%. The films also exhibited notable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Application to chicken packaging showed distinct color changes correlated with freshness indicators, including pH, microbial growth, TBARS (0.45–2.32 mg MDA/kg), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) (10.2–38.7 mg/100 g). Overall, the results suggest that EFY starch–PVA–CTE films are promising sustainable and biodegradable materials suitable for intelligent food packaging and real-time freshness monitoring.

Bionic oral and gastrointestinal modelling was used to analyze the texture, mastication characteristics, and starch and protein digestion of infant noodles with varying levels of size and gluten content. For texture, granular noodles, No. 1 line and No. 2 line noodles, butterfly noodles, and spiral noodles matched the needs of infants and toddlers aged 6–8 months, 9–12 months, and over 12 months, respectively. After mastication, the size of granular noodles, No. 1 line noodles, and No. 2 line noodles matched the swallowing capacities of children aged 6 to 9 months and 10 to 18 months, respectively. Spiral noodles, shell noodles, and butterfly noodles all satisfied the swallowing needs of infants older than 24 months. Protein and starch digestion rates declined as noodle size and gluten protein content increased. Therefore, the choice of noodles for infants and small children can be based on the gluten level and combined with the size of the noodles.

Low-temperature vacuum drying (LTVD) presents considerable potential for processing cruciferous vegetables due to its ability to preserve thermosensitive compounds. However, the process effects at different LTVD temperatures remain underexplored. In this study, red cabbage was dried at 15°C, 25°C, 35°C, and 45°C under a constant vacuum of 10 mbar. Drying kinetics, the retention of bioactive compounds, and associated antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. The Midilli–Kucuk model and its modified version accurately described the drying behavior. Liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS) analysis identified glucobrassicin (GBC) as the predominant glucosinolate, optimally retained at 25°C, whereas chlorogenic acid (CGA) and sinapoyl d-glucoside (SDG) were better preserved at 15°C. The anthocyanin content retention at 45°C was comparable to that achieved by freeze-drying (FD). Multivariate analysis revealed that sinapoyl derivatives were the major contributors to antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Supercritical CO₂ extracts exhibited notable antimicrobial activity (inhibition halos ≥10 mm), particularly in samples dried at 15°C and 25°C. These findings suggest that LTVD could serve as a viable alternative to FD, as LTVD retained bioactive compounds and bioactivity to a comparable extent in relation to FD, particularly at 15°C and 25°C.

Practical Applications

This study shows that LTVD can effectively preserve health-promoting compounds in red cabbage, offering a promising alternative to FD. LTVD at 15°C and 25°C could be applied in the food industry to develop functional ingredients or powders with retained antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antimicrobial properties, using a less energy-intensive process.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with inflammation and cardiovascular complications and is partly exacerbated by the uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate (IS). IS is known to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to promote vascular inflammation. On the other hand, avenanthramide C (Ave), an oat-derived polyphenol, has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we investigated whether Ave can suppress IS-induced inflammatory responses.

Analysis of serum from hemodialysis patients revealed a significant correlation between IS and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), IS (≥50 µg/mL) increased IL-6 secretion, while Ave (≥10 µM) suppressed this effect. Docking simulations and in vitro experiments suggested that Ave may interact with AhR and suppress IS-induced expression of AhR target genes, including that of cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1. High-performance liquid chromatography verified the uptake of Ave by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of Ave were independent of the adrenergic α1 receptor, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathways, and protein kinase B pathways.

Ave suppresses IS-induced inflammation, thereby reducing IL-6 secretion in HUVECs. These findings suggest the potential of Ave as a dietary intervention for mitigating vascular inflammation in patients with CKD.

This review discusses the evolution, key technologies, and application prospects of multi-dimensional food printing—3D and higher-dimensional food additive manufacturing—with a focus on 3D and 4D systems. It outlines the foundational principles of 3D food printing and its expansion into food applications, explaining how 4D food printing introduces time-dependent, stimulus-responsive behavior to achieve dynamic functionality. The potential of higher-dimensional printing, such as 5D and 6D, is also noted as an emerging direction for intelligent food systems. The analysis covers major techniques, including extrusion-based printing, selective laser sintering, binder jetting, and inkjet printing, with emphasis on the essential influence of food ink formula and processing parameters on printing accuracy. Multi-dimensional printing shows considerable promise in personalized nutrition, texture and shape regulation, and functional food development. Notably, 4D printing achieves dynamic modifications in color, flavor, and structure through tailored material design. At the same time, the technology continues to face challenges related to cost, production efficiency, food safety, and material formulation limitations. Future progress will depend on advances in food ink design and the integration of complementary technologies to strengthen its role in sustainable manufacturing and precision nutrition.

The impact of high voltage cold plasma (HVCP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) combined with chitooligosaccharide-catechin conjugate (COS-CAT) on extending the shelf-life of steam-cooked Harpiosquillid mantis shrimp (SC-HMS) meat during refrigerated storage at 4°C was examined. SC-HMS samples were treated with COS-CAT at 600 ppm and packed under MAP (CO₂:N₂:O₂ = 60:30:10) without and with the exposure to HVCP for 2.5 min (CP2.5-600) and 5 min (CP5-600). Air-packaged (AP) SC-HMS was spoiled before 9 days. However, the CP2.5-600 sample had significantly retarded growth of mesophilic bacteria, psychrophilic bacteria, and Pseudomonas spp. No Shewanella spp. and Vibrio spp. were found in all SC-HMS samples without and with treatments at day 0. The CP2.5-600 sample also showed the lowest total volatile base nitrogen, trimethylamine nitrogen contents, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances up to 21 days of storage. The CP2.5-600 treatment retained MUFA and PUFA and lowered the formation of methylamine up to 21 days. Thus, the incorporation of COS-CAT in combination with HVCP for an appropriate time could maintain textural property, reduce the changes in fatty acid and volatile profiles, and extend its shelf-life up to 21 days at 4°C.

Practical Applications

The combined treatment of High Voltage Cold Plasma (HVCP) and Chitooligosaccharide-Catechin (COS-CAT) conjugate is a useful method to significantly extend the shelf-life of steam-cooked mantis shrimp. By using the optimal combination (COS-CAT at 600 ppm + HVCP for 2.5 min), the HMS meat's freshness is maintained for up to 21 days under refrigerated storage. This is achieved by retarding the growth of spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas spp.) and keeping the eating quality, thus decreasing the loss in market value. This technology can be implemented in the seafood industry to improve the quality and market reach of cooked crustaceans.