Current Opinion in Food Science最新文献

Concerns about maintaining a balanced diet have raised the attention to protein bioavailability and nutrition of plant-based meat analogs (MAs). Understanding the digestibility of proteins in MAs and their influencing factors is essential for researchers, manufacturers, and consumers. Depending on the formulation and processing conditions, the protein aggregating status, protein–non-protein component interactions, and the morphology of fibrous structures vary significantly and directly affect protein digestibility. The current review first describes methods used to assess the protein digestibility of MAs, followed by a discussion on the effects of individual ingredients and processing conditions on protein digestibility and the underlying mechanisms. Future strategies to enhance protein digestion in MAs are also discussed.

Short-chain carboxylic acids (SCCA) are natural compounds from plants or fermenting microbes that have a long history as natural biopreservatives. This article discusses sources, mode of action and additional compound structures influencing antimicrobial activity. Traditionally, antimicrobial activity of SCCA has been linked to the ability to lower environmental pH and to diffuse into the cell causing intracellular acid stress. Recent studies at controlled pH suggest that antimicrobial activity not only increases with higher pK_a and lower pH, but also depends on the compound structure, for example, the presence of hydrophobic or hydrophilic side groups. Exploiting strategies of microbial cross-feeding and metabolism of amino acids could tailor and expand the spectrum of SCCA further, for example, for application in protein-rich beverages and plant-based milk analogues.

The objective of this review is to summarize the recent advances on culturing meat, while reflecting on consumer acceptance and upcoming possibilities. We start by updating technology related to cultured meat production, highlighting its nutritional and sensory facts. We continue with a deeper analysis of the latest challenges for consumption and reflect on future ideas, which include perspectives toward a more customer-oriented product and packaging design approaches. Such ideas aim to improve future acceptance while hopefully augmenting the sensory functionalities of such a source of protein in a world of ever-expanding digital experience.

Agrifood system technologies have enabled the development of novel foods with enhanced nutritional composition. Herein, we provide an overview of food model/prototype development by placing natural compounds (NCs) as an inspiration source through the combination of multidisciplinary approaches and food technologies. To design healthy foods, we propose that these interlinked technologies derived from applied fields, such as nutrition, chemical synthesis, pharmacology and food technology should be combined with biological system analyses. Food molecule development is a slow process with mandatory steps based on desired bioactive properties, which is challenged by food matrix diversity and the difficulty of reconstituting its biosynthetic pathways. Overcoming these challenges should be the primary trend in food science, leading to more sustainable processes and health benefits.

This review shows an update of the researches carried out in the last three years on foods to decontaminate them from mycetes and mycotoxins by means of electromagnetic radiations. Both ionizing (X-rays and γ-rays) and nonionizing (radiofrequencies, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, and ultraviolet radiation) radiations have been taken into consideration for this purpose. Their effectiveness confirmed to depend on parameters such as the state and the family of the targeted fungal species, the chemical structure of mycotoxins, the dose of radiation applied, and the structural characteristics of foods. Among the electromagnetic radiations, the ionizing radiations seem to be the most effective in inactivating conidia and in reducing mycotoxins. X-rays proved more performing than any other radiation against mycetes, whereas fungal toxic molecules proved more susceptible to γ-rays.

Projective methods allow for understanding food consumer behavior quickly and with reliable results. This short review aims to update projective methods for studying food consumer behavior. Several applications of the projective methods were identified, the association, construction, and completion techniques the most common to decipher food consumption behavior. Personification techniques and shopping lists allow for identifying the consumer profile while completing sentences or stories helps to understand the factors that influence or limit food consumption. Finally, the theoretical approaches used by studies with projective methods are based principally on social representations and expectancy-value theories. The big five personality traits theory may be useful for future studies using the shopping list or product personality profile techniques.