European Food Research and Technology最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the impact of dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) on the properties of pea albumin (PA). To achieve this objective, PA was homogenized at 0, 80, and 120 MPa. The FTIR and intrinsic fluorescence results indicated that the DHPM resulted in significantly change on secondary structures and the unfolding of the protein structure. The particle size of PA significantly decreased from 2.397 to 0.797 μm. The changes of the structure and particle size of PA had influence on functionality of PA, when compared to the natural PA, the treated PA showed improved functional properties as the solubility increased by 18.09%, the EAI increased by 24.00%, the ESI increased by 16%, the foaming properties increased by 13.00%. The treated PA was applied in Pickering emulsions, the results indicated that Pickering emulsions stabilized with PA. The Pickering emulsions with adding treated PA showed better properties than Pickering emulsions with adding natural PA. The Pickering emulsions with adding treated PA had the smaller droplet size and a better performance of the stratification stability, meanwhile, the apparent viscosity and shear stress also increased which was beneficial to the stratification stability. In conclusion, DHPM has the ability to change the structural and functional properties of PA, and promote its application in protein-based food products.

Natural plant sources, particularly the fruits of several lesser-known species, are receiving increasing amounts of attention because they contain a variety of bioactive compounds that are advantageous to human health. The production of easy-to-grow, already-used, and full of nutrients crops could be a solution to the growing problem of a lack of healthful food. One such fruit is the quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), which belongs to the Rosaceae family that originated in the Caucasian area and extends to other parts of the world. Quince has been studied for decades because of its unique importance in food and medicine. The characteristic pear-shaped fruit is golden yellow in appearance and has an aromatic, and acidic flavour. The low-fat fruit is rich in numerous necessary nutrients, minerals, dietary fibre, and antioxidants that have significant positive effects on health, but due to its bitterness, it is underutilized. Quince can be utilised as a raw material to create a variety of food products and is a good source of natural phenolic antioxidants, providing significant functional characteristics.

Vibrio vulnificus poses a significant risk to public health due to its high pathogenicity and mortality rates as a common seafood-borne pathogen. Therefore, rapid, accurate, and specific detection methods for V. vulnificus are crucial for ensuring human safety and minimizing economic losses. This study identified vvhA and vv08030 as promising targets for V. vulnificus detection using bioinformatics screening and PCR analysis. Based on these specific target genes, a duplex real-time PCR (qPCR) assay and a duplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay were developed and evaluated for the rapid quantitative detection of V. vulnificus. These methods showed 100% specificity to V. vulnificus and no cross-reaction with other strains. It was proved in this research that the qPCR method can detect genomic DNA as low as 31.4 fg/μL, and the quantification range of the bacterial suspension was between 8.25 × 10² and 8.25 × 10⁷ CFU/mL. On the other hand, ddPCR exhibited greater sensitivity with genomic sensitivity reaching 3.14 fg/μL and could accurately quantify bacterial suspensions between 8.25 × 10¹–8.25 × 10⁵ CFU/mL. The feasibility of the ddPCR method in detecting V. vulnificus was assessed in spiked food samples. The lowest detectable V. vulnificus in salmon was 5.74 × 10¹ CFU/g without any pre-enrichment. These methods demonstrated high sensitivity, accuracy and rapidity, with potential applications in V. vulnificus detection strategies.

This work studies the influence of the thickness of oak alternatives on the composition and quality of red wines. A red wine was aged in control conditions and also in contact with oak chips, and with thin and thick oak staves for 12 months. As expected, all the wines aged in contact with all the oak alternatives were enriched in total polyphenols and had a higher colour intensity. In addition, the contact with all the oak alternatives enriched the wine in furfural and total furans, vanilla and total aldehydes and ketones, eugenol and total volatile phenols, and in β-methyl-γ-octalactones. However, the thickness of the oak alternative seems to play an important role in the composition and quality of the wine. Specifically, the wines aged in contact with the two types of staves had a more intense colour than the wine aged with oak chips, as well as a higher total phenolic index and higher eugenol concentration. Moreover, the β-methyl-γ-octalactones concentration was higher in the wine supplemented with thick staves. Finally, the wines supplemented with the two types of staves had a higher intensity of the spicy attribute than the wine aged with oak chips. The wine supplemented with thick staves had a higher intensity of candy/pastry, toasted, smoked, complexity, aromatic intensity, sweetness, structure, and persistence. Finally, the panel preferred the wine aged with thick staves followed by, in descending order, the wines aged with thin staves, oak chips, and the control.

This study aimed to experimentally investigate the effect of sugar syrup additions on quality measurements of honey and to detect adulteration. For that purpose, two different pure blossom honey samples were adulterated by directly mixing 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% of commercially available glucose–fructose corn syrup and maltose corn syrup. In this regard, key physico-chemical properties like moisture, pH, free acidity, proline, diastase number, color (L, a, b and Delta-E), electrical conductivity, HMF, sugar profile (glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose), and C4 sugar analysis were tested. The results of the individual analysis of moisture, pH, free acidity, proline, diastase number, color, electrical conductivity, and HMF failed to detect sugar syrup adulteration. However, when principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to analyze the data gathered from these tests, adulterations at all-syrup ratios (5–50%) were successfully detected.

Graphical Abstract

Oleanolic acid is the main component of wine pomace and has anti-caries properties, antitumor effects, anti-obesity effects, and protects hepatic function. However, the majority of pomace has only been used for compost despite the production of thousands of tons per year of wine pomace in Japan. The present study describes the use of low-toxicity solvents called betaine-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for efficient extraction of oleanolic acid. H₂O and 1,3-butanediol were used as control solvents to evaluate the extraction. Quantitative analysis using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) indicated that extraction of pomace using betaine/xylitol (molar ratio 3:2) afforded the highest yield of oleanolic acid among the deep eutectic solvents. Scanning electron microscope observations and antioxidant assays of extracted samples were also conducted. The results demonstrated effective extraction of pomace under milder conditions than those needed for conventional methods. The less toxic and environmentally benign DESs for extraction would be applicable to the food and cosmetic industries.

Graphical abstract

In this study, we evaluated Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) as a monitoring tool of the physiological state of Bryopsis, Cystoseira, Stypopodium, Cladophora, Taonia, Padina, Ulva and Sargassum tissues. We analyzed the electrical response differences in the EIS between species and in the same seaweed tissue before and after electroporation. Electroporation using high voltage pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment was used as a model for cell disruption affecting the tissue physiology without being noticeable to the naked-eye. Significant differences in all the seaweeds were observed before and after electroporation. We found that seaweed species with smaller and rounder cells have a clearer dispersion profile (around a frequency of 10–100 kHz) compared to the dispersion profile of seaweed with larger cells with unround form. Those results suggest that EIS could be used as a fast non-invasive monitoring technique of the changes in the physiology of seaweeds.

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water and contains heavy metals and trace elements that may cause potential negative effects on health. Aluminium (Al) concentrations in black, green, and white tea with different infusion times and teapot materials were evaluated in this study. Commercially available tea samples were brewed in 5 different teapots, consisting of aluminium, copper, glass, steel, and porcelain materials for 5, 10, and 15 min. Al concentrations in tea samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. Al concentrations in tea samples were in the range of 38.46 ± 5.08–844.75 ± 10.86 µg/L. Both teapot type (p < 0.001) and infusion time (p < 0.001) significantly influenced Al concentrations in tea samples. The interaction between tea type, teapot material, and infusion time was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The hazard ratio was less than 1 for black and white tea infusions except for one sample whereas it was greater than 1 for green tea. These data suggest that green tea consumption might be a potential risk factor for Al exposure.

Plant-based hydrocolloid systems which are mixed with different carbohydrate types are becoming popular due to vegan concerns for both non-food and food industry. In this study, different sugar types (d-allulose and sucrose) at different concentrations (20% and 40%) were used to explore their effects on the gelation and physical properties of agar–agar. For characterization of these agar–agar-based gel systems, in addition to common physical methods (moisture content, water activity, color, hardness, viscosity), novel methods such as TD-NMR relaxometry, and FTIR were also used to get deep insight of the microstructures and water dynamics of the gel systems. Results clearly indicated that sugar type and concentration were vital factors affecting the agar–agar gel properties and dynamics of the system. Utilization of allulose in the gel systems led to formation of less moist and softer agar–agar matrix characterized with longer T₂ spin–spin relaxation times. This study will lead to designing new types of vegan agar–agar-based confectionery products such as soft candies that are considered as perfect composite gels.