Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a powerful computational tool that has become a fundamental technique in food science. By bridging the critical gap between macroscopic experimental data and microscopic mechanisms, it serves as an effective method for studying interactions between meat proteins and small molecules.
Scope and approach
This article reviews recent research progress on the use of MD simulations to elucidate the interaction mechanisms between meat proteins and small molecules. First, the fundamental principles, key technical parameters, and general simulation procedures of MD simulations are introduced. Next, a comprehensive review is provided of specific cases involving the application of MD simulations to study interactions between meat proteins and various types of small molecules. Finally, current challenges and future development trends in this research field are discussed.
Key findings and conclusions
MD simulations systematically reveal the interaction mechanisms between meat proteins and small molecules at the molecular level. They provide critical insights into molecular recognition patterns, dynamic binding processes, protein conformational changes, and binding affinities. These simulation results effectively overcome the limitations of traditional experimental methods in capturing instantaneous molecular events and protein conformational rearrangements, thereby offering essential theoretical support for studying molecular interaction mechanisms in meat food systems.
{"title":"Advances in molecular dynamics simulation of meat protein and small molecule interactions: insights into mechanisms and applications","authors":"Xia Hu, Ziyi Zhang, Haotian Liu, Baohua Kong, Chao Zhang, Ligang Qin, Zengwang Guo, Qian Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a powerful computational tool that has become a fundamental technique in food science. By bridging the critical gap between macroscopic experimental data and microscopic mechanisms, it serves as an effective method for studying interactions between meat proteins and small molecules.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This article reviews recent research progress on the use of MD simulations to elucidate the interaction mechanisms between meat proteins and small molecules. First, the fundamental principles, key technical parameters, and general simulation procedures of MD simulations are introduced. Next, a comprehensive review is provided of specific cases involving the application of MD simulations to study interactions between meat proteins and various types of small molecules. Finally, current challenges and future development trends in this research field are discussed.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>MD simulations systematically reveal the interaction mechanisms between meat proteins and small molecules at the molecular level. They provide critical insights into molecular recognition patterns, dynamic binding processes, protein conformational changes, and binding affinities. These simulation results effectively overcome the limitations of traditional experimental methods in capturing instantaneous molecular events and protein conformational rearrangements, thereby offering essential theoretical support for studying molecular interaction mechanisms in meat food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105556"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105550
Ruijie Ni , Ping Zhan , Honglei Tian , Aheidamu Abudalimu , Peng Wang , Wanying He , Runguang Zhang
Background
Aroma-food ingredient interactions fundamentally govern aroma release, stability, and perception; however, current understanding remains fragmented due to the lack of a unified conceptual framework that integrates molecular mechanisms with predictive modeling and real-food complexity. Existing research is heavily reliant on simplified binary systems, limiting the ability to interpret synergistic or competitive behaviors in multi-component matrices.
Scope and approach
This review systematically elucidates the mechanisms underlying aroma-food ingredient interactions, including non-covalent interactions, covalent binding, and mass transfer effects. A multi-scale, integrative framework is proposed that links the characterization of volatile and non-volatile compounds with sensory-based theoretical modeling (threshold method, S-curve, σ-τ plot, and U-model), molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to elucidate interaction mechanisms, and multi-spectroscopic validation to support mechanistic interpretation and strengthen predictive, mechanism-driven models. Within this framework, interactions between aroma compounds and major food ingredients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and polyphenols) are critically synthesized, providing mechanistic insights and design principles for targeted flavor modulation.
Key findings and conclusions
Recent advances in multi-scale analytical tools and computational techniques have substantially enhanced mechanistic understanding and predictive capability, enabling more precise aroma modulation. However, most studies rely on simplified model systems, insufficiently reflecting real food complexity, interfacial effects, and oral processing. Future research should focus on multi-component and structurally realistic matrices, address these experimental challenges, and integrate multi-omics, sensory science, predictive modeling, machine learning, molecular simulation, and neuroimaging techniques to guide the rational design of foods with optimized flavor performance.
{"title":"Recent advances on aroma-food ingredient interactions: A review","authors":"Ruijie Ni , Ping Zhan , Honglei Tian , Aheidamu Abudalimu , Peng Wang , Wanying He , Runguang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105550","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105550","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Aroma-food ingredient interactions fundamentally govern aroma release, stability, and perception; however, current understanding remains fragmented due to the lack of a unified conceptual framework that integrates molecular mechanisms with predictive modeling and real-food complexity. Existing research is heavily reliant on simplified binary systems, limiting the ability to interpret synergistic or competitive behaviors in multi-component matrices.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review systematically elucidates the mechanisms underlying aroma-food ingredient interactions, including non-covalent interactions, covalent binding, and mass transfer effects. A multi-scale, integrative framework is proposed that links the characterization of volatile and non-volatile compounds with sensory-based theoretical modeling (threshold method, <em>S</em>-curve, σ-τ plot, and U-model), molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to elucidate interaction mechanisms, and multi-spectroscopic validation to support mechanistic interpretation and strengthen predictive, mechanism-driven models. Within this framework, interactions between aroma compounds and major food ingredients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and polyphenols) are critically synthesized, providing mechanistic insights and design principles for targeted flavor modulation.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Recent advances in multi-scale analytical tools and computational techniques have substantially enhanced mechanistic understanding and predictive capability, enabling more precise aroma modulation. However, most studies rely on simplified model systems, insufficiently reflecting real food complexity, interfacial effects, and oral processing. Future research should focus on multi-component and structurally realistic matrices, address these experimental challenges, and integrate multi-omics, sensory science, predictive modeling, machine learning, molecular simulation, and neuroimaging techniques to guide the rational design of foods with optimized flavor performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105550"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105549
Chen Chen , Yujian Zhang , Huijun Cui , Ke Wu , Ruonan Guo , Aili Jiang , Di Wu
Background
The quality and safety of food can be compromised by various environmental factors during storage and transportation. Traditional packaging methods often fall short in effectively maintaining food quality and extending shelf-life. Active packaging, which incorporates functional materials to interact with the food or its environment, has emerged as a promising solution. Aerogel is an ideal materials for food active packaging due to its high pore structure and specific surface area, low density and thermal conductivity. This material can absorb excess moisture or gases and allow for controlled release of antibacterial or antioxidant components, thereby monitoring food freshness or extending its shelf-life.
Scope and approach
This review comprehensively summarizes the application of aerogel in food active packaging, including absorption pads, insulating packaging, freshness indicators, ethylene removers, and controlled-release active compounds. It also elaborated in detail on the impact of each application on food preservation, emphasizing their potential to enhance food quality, monitor food freshness and extend shelf-life. In addition, the challenges and possible solutions for further developing aerogel-based active packaging were also disscussed.
Key findings and conclusions
Aerogel-based active packaging exhibits excellent performance in maintaining food quality, extending shelf-life, and monitoring food freshness. Further research is necessary to address several challenges, including high production costs, complex technology and potential safety concerns, to meet the requirements for industrial production of aerogel-based active packaging. This review provides a clear direction for future research and practical applications, and ultimately contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable food packaging.
{"title":"Aerogels in active packaging for food preservation: A comprehensive review of applications","authors":"Chen Chen , Yujian Zhang , Huijun Cui , Ke Wu , Ruonan Guo , Aili Jiang , Di Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The quality and safety of food can be compromised by various environmental factors during storage and transportation. Traditional packaging methods often fall short in effectively maintaining food quality and extending shelf-life. Active packaging, which incorporates functional materials to interact with the food or its environment, has emerged as a promising solution. Aerogel is an ideal materials for food active packaging due to its high pore structure and specific surface area, low density and thermal conductivity. This material can absorb excess moisture or gases and allow for controlled release of antibacterial or antioxidant components, thereby monitoring food freshness or extending its shelf-life.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review comprehensively summarizes the application of aerogel in food active packaging, including absorption pads, insulating packaging, freshness indicators, ethylene removers, and controlled-release active compounds. It also elaborated in detail on the impact of each application on food preservation, emphasizing their potential to enhance food quality, monitor food freshness and extend shelf-life. In addition, the challenges and possible solutions for further developing aerogel-based active packaging were also disscussed.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Aerogel-based active packaging exhibits excellent performance in maintaining food quality, extending shelf-life, and monitoring food freshness. Further research is necessary to address several challenges, including high production costs, complex technology and potential safety concerns, to meet the requirements for industrial production of aerogel-based active packaging. This review provides a clear direction for future research and practical applications, and ultimately contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable food packaging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105549"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105548
Huaqiang Cao , Qi Li , Shilin Liu
Background
Active packaging is an advanced technological approach that not only provides physical protection but also actively preserves food quality and extends shelf life. Given the sustainability challenges associated with petroleum-based plastics, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have emerged as a promising bio-based solid particle stabilizer for surfactant-free Pickering emulsions (PEs). Distinguished from other food-grade biomacromolecules, CNFs offer distinct advantages such as renewability, tunable surface chemistry, and high aspect ratio. These characteristics enable CNFs to effectively stabilize PEs, thereby facilitating the development of multifunctional active packaging systems with improved barrier resistance, mechanical strength, and controlled release functionality.
Scope and approach
This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the development and application of CNF-stabilized PEs for food packaging, with a focus on oil–water interfacial engineering. It covers emerging CNFs sources (like coffee grounds and straws), preparation methods, and the critical relationships between CNFs structure, emulsion performance, and packaging functionality, offering a comprehensive perspective on their role in advanced food packaging systems.
Key findings and conclusions
CNFs derived from various natural materials provide unique structural attributes to emulsions. Both CNFs and CNF-based PEs exhibit minimal cytotoxicity, supporting their suitability for edible and biodegradable packaging. The functional performance of the resulting packaging materials, including barrier, mechanical, and active-release properties, can be precisely tailored through Pickering interfacial engineering. Despite promising progress, challenges remain in scaling up production, ensuring cost-effectiveness, and validating efficacy in real-food applications. Future research should emphasize green processing routes and promote commercial adoption to meet evolving industry demands.
{"title":"Cellulose nanofiber-stabilized Pickering emulsions for active food packaging: A review","authors":"Huaqiang Cao , Qi Li , Shilin Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Active packaging is an advanced technological approach that not only provides physical protection but also actively preserves food quality and extends shelf life. Given the sustainability challenges associated with petroleum-based plastics, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have emerged as a promising bio-based solid particle stabilizer for surfactant-free Pickering emulsions (PEs). Distinguished from other food-grade biomacromolecules, CNFs offer distinct advantages such as renewability, tunable surface chemistry, and high aspect ratio. These characteristics enable CNFs to effectively stabilize PEs, thereby facilitating the development of multifunctional active packaging systems with improved barrier resistance, mechanical strength, and controlled release functionality.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the development and application of CNF-stabilized PEs for food packaging, with a focus on oil–water interfacial engineering. It covers emerging CNFs sources (like coffee grounds and straws), preparation methods, and the critical relationships between CNFs structure, emulsion performance, and packaging functionality, offering a comprehensive perspective on their role in advanced food packaging systems.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>CNFs derived from various natural materials provide unique structural attributes to emulsions. Both CNFs and CNF-based PEs exhibit minimal cytotoxicity, supporting their suitability for edible and biodegradable packaging. The functional performance of the resulting packaging materials, including barrier, mechanical, and active-release properties, can be precisely tailored through Pickering interfacial engineering. Despite promising progress, challenges remain in scaling up production, ensuring cost-effectiveness, and validating efficacy in real-food applications. Future research should emphasize green processing routes and promote commercial adoption to meet evolving industry demands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105548"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105543
Nevzat Konar , Muhammed Fidan , Ibrahim Palabiyik , Ilyas Atalar , Omer Said Toker
Background
Cocoa and chocolate products form a globally significant agri-food chain with substantial economic, cultural, and nutritional value. However, their production and processing are associated with pronounced environmental impacts, primarily due to resource-intensive cocoa farming, complex international supply networks, and energy-demanding manufacturing processes. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has become a widely used tool to quantify these impacts, but issues related to data gaps, methodological inconsistencies, and limited scope still constrain its effectiveness.
Scope and approach
This review provides a comprehensive analysis of LCA applications across the cocoa and chocolate supply chains, adopting a cradle-to-grave perspective that encompasses cultivation, processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, and end-of-life phases. Emphasis is placed on methodological evolution, including the integration of hybrid-LCA and multi-regional input-output (MRIO) models. In addition, the review examines challenges related to system boundaries, functional units, co-product allocation methods, and the incorporation of circular economy principles, social LCA (S-LCA), and life cycle costing (LCC).
Key findings
Cocoa cultivation and industrial chocolate production are consistently identified as the main contributors to environmental burdens, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, human toxicity, and cumulative energy demand. Agricultural practices including conventional, organic, and agroforestry systems strongly influence environmental performance. However, limited field-level data, inconsistent methodological choices, and insufficient attention to socio-economic dimensions hinder the comparability and policy relevance of current studies. Recent efforts toward by-product valorization, such as the conversion of cocoa pod husks into bio-based materials or chemicals, offer promising eco-efficiency gains but remain underexplored in LCA frameworks.
Conclusions and future perspectives
Improving the robustness and applicability of LCA in the cocoa sector requires harmonization of functional units, better allocation procedures, and enhanced data collection across diverse production systems. Integrating hybrid-LCA and MRIO approaches can better capture indirect environmental burdens in globalized supply chains. Future studies should also consider circular economy strategies, socio-economic trade-offs, and consumer behavior during product use and end-of-life stages to enable a more holistic understanding of sustainability performance. These advancements will support evidence-based decision-making for industry and policymakers and contribute to the development of resilient, low-impact cocoa and chocolate supply systems aligned with global sustainability goals.
{"title":"Comprehensive life cycle assessment of cocoa and chocolate supply chains: Environmental sustainability perspectives","authors":"Nevzat Konar , Muhammed Fidan , Ibrahim Palabiyik , Ilyas Atalar , Omer Said Toker","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cocoa and chocolate products form a globally significant agri-food chain with substantial economic, cultural, and nutritional value. However, their production and processing are associated with pronounced environmental impacts, primarily due to resource-intensive cocoa farming, complex international supply networks, and energy-demanding manufacturing processes. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has become a widely used tool to quantify these impacts, but issues related to data gaps, methodological inconsistencies, and limited scope still constrain its effectiveness.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review provides a comprehensive analysis of LCA applications across the cocoa and chocolate supply chains, adopting a cradle-to-grave perspective that encompasses cultivation, processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, and end-of-life phases. Emphasis is placed on methodological evolution, including the integration of hybrid-LCA and multi-regional input-output (MRIO) models. In addition, the review examines challenges related to system boundaries, functional units, co-product allocation methods, and the incorporation of circular economy principles, social LCA (S-LCA), and life cycle costing (LCC).</div></div><div><h3>Key findings</h3><div>Cocoa cultivation and industrial chocolate production are consistently identified as the main contributors to environmental burdens, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, human toxicity, and cumulative energy demand. Agricultural practices including conventional, organic, and agroforestry systems strongly influence environmental performance. However, limited field-level data, inconsistent methodological choices, and insufficient attention to socio-economic dimensions hinder the comparability and policy relevance of current studies. Recent efforts toward by-product valorization, such as the conversion of cocoa pod husks into bio-based materials or chemicals, offer promising eco-efficiency gains but remain underexplored in LCA frameworks.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and future perspectives</h3><div>Improving the robustness and applicability of LCA in the cocoa sector requires harmonization of functional units, better allocation procedures, and enhanced data collection across diverse production systems. Integrating hybrid-LCA and MRIO approaches can better capture indirect environmental burdens in globalized supply chains. Future studies should also consider circular economy strategies, socio-economic trade-offs, and consumer behavior during product use and end-of-life stages to enable a more holistic understanding of sustainability performance. These advancements will support evidence-based decision-making for industry and policymakers and contribute to the development of resilient, low-impact cocoa and chocolate supply systems aligned with global sustainability goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105543"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105544
E. Burton , S.P. Borriello , P.J. Gregory , J. Healing , C. Nicholson , T.H. Oliver , S. Pearson , R. Smith , M. Tildesley , J. Wastling , J. O'Brien
Establishing research priorities to support evidence-based regulatory goals requires cross disciplinary collective expert input. This paper reviews the application of expert elicitation to identify and prioritize research questions in food safety regulation, which approach offers regulators and research funders a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for assessing evidence gaps in an expanding scientific landscape. While similar methodologies have been applied in ecology and other fields, this is, to our knowledge, the first use in food safety research. Recommendations are provided to strengthen the process.
A facilitated workshop shortlisted 51 questions, grouped into 12 themes, from a long list of 262 submissions, which spanned broad topics, including understanding the origins of emerging hazards and their health impacts. Environmental and sustainability themes address unintended consequences of decarbonization, food waste reduction, and risks from recycled plastics and food byproducts. Dietary change raises questions on emerging allergens, nutritional adequacy of alternative proteins, low fibre intake, and microbiome-related health impacts. Technology-driven changes, such as new production systems, kitchen devices, and secondary food economies, intersect with these dietary shifts.
Scientific advances provide opportunities to improve understanding of the dietary exposome through better intake data. Exposure to dietary chemicals occurs alongside complex mixtures of other agents, requiring structured approaches to risk assessment. The evolving science of chemical mixtures and rapid innovation in food systems underscore the need for robust, prioritized research compatible with good regulatory practice.
{"title":"Identification of evidence gaps and future research needs in food safety","authors":"E. Burton , S.P. Borriello , P.J. Gregory , J. Healing , C. Nicholson , T.H. Oliver , S. Pearson , R. Smith , M. Tildesley , J. Wastling , J. O'Brien","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Establishing research priorities to support evidence-based regulatory goals requires cross disciplinary collective expert input. This paper reviews the application of expert elicitation to identify and prioritize research questions in food safety regulation, which approach offers regulators and research funders a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for assessing evidence gaps in an expanding scientific landscape. While similar methodologies have been applied in ecology and other fields, this is, to our knowledge, the first use in food safety research. Recommendations are provided to strengthen the process.</div><div>A facilitated workshop shortlisted 51 questions, grouped into 12 themes, from a long list of 262 submissions, which spanned broad topics, including understanding the origins of emerging hazards and their health impacts. Environmental and sustainability themes address unintended consequences of decarbonization, food waste reduction, and risks from recycled plastics and food byproducts. Dietary change raises questions on emerging allergens, nutritional adequacy of alternative proteins, low fibre intake, and microbiome-related health impacts. Technology-driven changes, such as new production systems, kitchen devices, and secondary food economies, intersect with these dietary shifts.</div><div>Scientific advances provide opportunities to improve understanding of the dietary exposome through better intake data. Exposure to dietary chemicals occurs alongside complex mixtures of other agents, requiring structured approaches to risk assessment. The evolving science of chemical mixtures and rapid innovation in food systems underscore the need for robust, prioritized research compatible with good regulatory practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105544"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105545
Valentina Parma , Joel D. Mainland , Liang-Dar Hwang , Richard J. Kedziora , Nicolas Pineau , Richard C. Gerkin , Masha Y. Niv
Despite its profound relevance to food choice and consumption, nutrition, food safety and public health chemosensory science lags other scientific fields in data sharing, standardization and infrastructure. This gap has real consequences: lack of (shared) data, as well as fragmented datasets, prevent cumulative progress, hinder cross-organizational validation, and limit the development of predictive models that could revolutionize food and consumer science, personalized nutrition, clinical diagnostics and beyond. Groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs emerged in recent years through the combination of advancements in artificial intelligence algorithms and access to large-scale, high-quality and well-organized data. Without this foundation, the chemosensory field risks falling further behind, unable to leverage the transformative potential of AI that is revolutionizing protein structure prediction, drug-discovery, genomic interpretation, medical diagnostics, and other domains. In this commentary we highlight inspiring examples from other fields, acknowledge the state of the art in chemosensory data organization efforts, and outline steps towards the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles adoption in chemosensory science. Finally, we envision federated learning scenarios suitable for confidentiality-preserving collaboration with industry and extend an invitation to share raw data from already published academic studies via the “ChemoSensoryData” community in Zenodo.
{"title":"FAIR chemosensory data: Unlocking AI for flavour, food and health","authors":"Valentina Parma , Joel D. Mainland , Liang-Dar Hwang , Richard J. Kedziora , Nicolas Pineau , Richard C. Gerkin , Masha Y. Niv","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite its profound relevance to food choice and consumption, nutrition, food safety and public health chemosensory science lags other scientific fields in data sharing, standardization and infrastructure. This gap has real consequences: lack of (shared) data, as well as fragmented datasets, prevent cumulative progress, hinder cross-organizational validation, and limit the development of predictive models that could revolutionize food and consumer science, personalized nutrition, clinical diagnostics and beyond. Groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs emerged in recent years through the combination of advancements in artificial intelligence algorithms and access to large-scale, high-quality and well-organized data. Without this foundation, the chemosensory field risks falling further behind, unable to leverage the transformative potential of AI that is revolutionizing protein structure prediction, drug-discovery, genomic interpretation, medical diagnostics, and other domains. In this commentary we highlight inspiring examples from other fields, acknowledge the state of the art in chemosensory data organization efforts, and outline steps towards the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles adoption in chemosensory science. Finally, we envision federated learning scenarios suitable for confidentiality-preserving collaboration with industry and extend an invitation to share raw data from already published academic studies via the “ChemoSensoryData” community in Zenodo.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105545"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105534
Haitao Jiang , Xiaohua Pan , Chang Liu , Rongrong Ma , Yaoqi Tian
Background
Petroleum-based plastics would lead to the environmental concerns and negative impacts on human health. Therefore, the focus towards biodegradable and sustainable packaging derived from renewable resources is imperative. The ineffective management of food waste would also result in undesirable environmental problems. Recently, the revalorization of agricultural by-products has garnered much attention in the research of biodegradable and environment-friendly food packaging due to their sustainable and economic advantages.
Scope and approach
This work provides a novel and comprehensive review focusing on the use of tamarind seed-derived materials, predominantly including tamarind seed powder (TSP), tamarind seed starch (TSS), tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSPS), tamarind seed cellulose (TSC), and tamarind seed extract (TSE), as sustainable resources for developing food packaging. Furthermore, the applications of tamarind seed-derived food packaging for the preservation of various foodstuffs are underlined.
Key findings and conclusions
TSS and TSPS present great promise biopolymers for the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging. Furthermore, the overall performance of TSS- and TSPS-based food packaging could be further improved by incorporating reinforcing fillers and active agents, which would enhance their physical properties and simultaneously endow them with excellent functional capacities for food preservation applications. Tamarind seed-derived packaging has demonstrated effectiveness in preserving various foodstuffs. The revalorization of tamarind seeds into food packaging applications might to some extent foster the sustainability of tamarind processing chain and promote circular economy. However, several hurdles should still be considered in future studies, primarily including scalable production and maximizing overall waste valorization, improving intrinsic limitations, and safety concerns.
{"title":"Recent advances in utilization of tamarind seed as a sustainable source for development of food packaging","authors":"Haitao Jiang , Xiaohua Pan , Chang Liu , Rongrong Ma , Yaoqi Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Petroleum-based plastics would lead to the environmental concerns and negative impacts on human health. Therefore, the focus towards biodegradable and sustainable packaging derived from renewable resources is imperative. The ineffective management of food waste would also result in undesirable environmental problems. Recently, the revalorization of agricultural by-products has garnered much attention in the research of biodegradable and environment-friendly food packaging due to their sustainable and economic advantages.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This work provides a novel and comprehensive review focusing on the use of tamarind seed-derived materials, predominantly including tamarind seed powder (TSP), tamarind seed starch (TSS), tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSPS), tamarind seed cellulose (TSC), and tamarind seed extract (TSE), as sustainable resources for developing food packaging. Furthermore, the applications of tamarind seed-derived food packaging for the preservation of various foodstuffs are underlined.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>TSS and TSPS present great promise biopolymers for the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging. Furthermore, the overall performance of TSS- and TSPS-based food packaging could be further improved by incorporating reinforcing fillers and active agents, which would enhance their physical properties and simultaneously endow them with excellent functional capacities for food preservation applications. Tamarind seed-derived packaging has demonstrated effectiveness in preserving various foodstuffs. The revalorization of tamarind seeds into food packaging applications might to some extent foster the sustainability of tamarind processing chain and promote circular economy. However, several hurdles should still be considered in future studies, primarily including scalable production and maximizing overall waste valorization, improving intrinsic limitations, and safety concerns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105534"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105535
Shengjun Wu , Xiaona Cui
Background
Rosemary essential oil (REO) from Rosmarinus officinalis L. contains bioactive components like 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, carnosic acid, and rosmarinic acid. These compounds have powerful antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Scope and approach
This review combines REO's applications in animal husbandry, food science, and human treatments. It presents REO as a versatile, natural, and multi-functional agent by integrating evidence from different disciplines. It emphasizes its potential to enhance sustainability and health across animal, human, and environmental domains within the “One Health” framework.
Key findings and conclusions
REO improves development, gut health, and meat and egg oxidative stability as a natural alternative to in-feed antibiotics. The food industry uses it as a natural preservative, antioxidant, and flavoring agent to improve shelf life and clean label. REO has healthcare applications in cognitive improvement, neuroprotection, pain treatment, wound healing, and anticancer. To maximize its potential, REO needs interdisciplinary research, improved delivery methods, and integrated value chains.
{"title":"Rosemary essential oil: Bridging the gap from animal husbandry to functional foods and therapeutics","authors":"Shengjun Wu , Xiaona Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Rosemary essential oil (REO) from <em>Rosmarinus officinalis</em> L. contains bioactive components like 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, carnosic acid, and rosmarinic acid. These compounds have powerful antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review combines REO's applications in animal husbandry, food science, and human treatments. It presents REO as a versatile, natural, and multi-functional agent by integrating evidence from different disciplines. It emphasizes its potential to enhance sustainability and health across animal, human, and environmental domains within the “One Health” framework.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>REO improves development, gut health, and meat and egg oxidative stability as a natural alternative to in-feed antibiotics. The food industry uses it as a natural preservative, antioxidant, and flavoring agent to improve shelf life and clean label. REO has healthcare applications in cognitive improvement, neuroprotection, pain treatment, wound healing, and anticancer. To maximize its potential, REO needs interdisciplinary research, improved delivery methods, and integrated value chains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105535"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105533
Rongbo Pan , Kailin Li , Jiakai Xu , Kuncheng Lin , Xianliang Luo , Baodong Zheng
Background
Self-assembly behavior of bioactive peptides has emerged as a research hotspot, offering novel approaches to enhance digestive stability and develop functional foods.
Scope and approach
This study systematically elucidated the molecular mechanisms of peptide self-assembly and its crucial role in enhancing peptide structural stability and digestive resistance.
Key findings and conclusion
By adjusting environmental factors (such as temperature and pH), and by designing peptide sequences enriched with aromatic amino acids, bioactive peptides can undergo molecular self-assembly to form highly ordered nanostructures, including through molecular self-assembly, including nanofibers, micelles, and hydrogels. This self-assembling structure can markedly enhance the digestive stability of bioactive peptides in the gastrointestinal environment, thereby improving their bioavailability and delivery efficiency. Bioactive peptides rich in proline also exhibit excellent anti-digestive activity. These self-assembling peptides exhibit multifunctional biological activities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Self-assembly enables improved encapsulation efficiency, controlled and targeted release, enhanced bioavailability, and optimized sensory properties, supporting the development of functional foods and nutritional supplements for precision nutrition. However, clinical translation remains constrained by challenges in structural stability, in vivo absorption, and safety. Notably, the self-assembly behavior of bioactive peptides under physiological conditions is still poorly understood. This study reviewed the molecular basis of peptide self-assembly in regulating digestive stability and provides a theoretical framework for designing efficient delivery systems and functional foods.
{"title":"Self-assembly of bioactive peptides: A novel perspective for digestive adaptation and functional food design","authors":"Rongbo Pan , Kailin Li , Jiakai Xu , Kuncheng Lin , Xianliang Luo , Baodong Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Self-assembly behavior of bioactive peptides has emerged as a research hotspot, offering novel approaches to enhance digestive stability and develop functional foods.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This study systematically elucidated the molecular mechanisms of peptide self-assembly and its crucial role in enhancing peptide structural stability and digestive resistance.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusion</h3><div>By adjusting environmental factors (such as temperature and pH), and by designing peptide sequences enriched with aromatic amino acids, bioactive peptides can undergo molecular self-assembly to form highly ordered nanostructures, including through molecular self-assembly, including nanofibers, micelles, and hydrogels. This self-assembling structure can markedly enhance the digestive stability of bioactive peptides in the gastrointestinal environment, thereby improving their bioavailability and delivery efficiency. Bioactive peptides rich in proline also exhibit excellent anti-digestive activity. These self-assembling peptides exhibit multifunctional biological activities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Self-assembly enables improved encapsulation efficiency, controlled and targeted release, enhanced bioavailability, and optimized sensory properties, supporting the development of functional foods and nutritional supplements for precision nutrition. However, clinical translation remains constrained by challenges in structural stability, <em>in vivo</em> absorption, and safety. Notably, the self-assembly behavior of bioactive peptides under physiological conditions is still poorly understood. This study reviewed the molecular basis of peptide self-assembly in regulating digestive stability and provides a theoretical framework for designing efficient delivery systems and functional foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 105533"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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