Food and Bioprocess Technology最新文献

A dual-layer film based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, zinc alginate, and Hylocereus undatus peel extract was developed for intelligent food packaging applications. The protective layer, prepared by solution casting and surface modification, exhibited enhanced hydrophobicity and barrier performance, with water vapor permeability decreasing from 0.32 × 10⁻¹⁰ to 0.097 × 10⁻¹⁰ g/m·s·Pa and the water contact angle approaching 90°. The functional layer, fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly, showed pH-sensitive and reversible color responses under simulated spoilage conditions relevant to meat storage. Synergistic intermolecular interactions improved structural integrity, optical transparency, and ultraviolet (UV) shielding, reducing UV transmittance by more than 80%. The dual-layer film effectively mitigated food spoilage by reducing mass loss by approximately 30%, maintaining pH stability, and suppressing total volatile basic nitrogen to below acceptable freshness limits. Furthermore, smartphone-assisted colorimetric analysis enabled rapid, low-cost, and on-site detection of CO₂ and NH₃ emissions, highlighting the practical applicability of the system. By integrating biodegradable, waste-derived materials with digital sensing technology, this study provides a sustainable and innovative strategy for intelligent food packaging and food safety management.

The extraction of plant-based proteins is gaining prominence amid rising global demand for sustainable, eco-friendly protein sources. Cauliflower leaves, often discarded as agricultural waste, present a promising opportunity to utilise as a nutrient-rich by-product for protein extraction. This study investigated the combined effect of ultrasound time (0 [NS], 5 [5S] and 10 [10S] min) and sieve size (non-filtered [NF], 124 µm [F124] and 48 µm [F48]) on the recovery and structure-functional properties of cauliflower leaf protein concentrates (LPC). The combination of ultrasonication and finer sieve filtration (F48) significantly reduced the particle size of cauliflower leaf juice. LPC colour measurements showed that 10S-F48 produced a darker colour than the other LPCs. Increasing the sonication time from 0 to 10 min significantly increased yield (12.24% to 18.32%) and protein recovery (36.32% to 47.32%), but reduced protein content (59.06% to 46.95%). Finer filtration reduced protein extraction yield and recovery but increased protein content. Zeta potential decreased with pH, reaching -8.15 to -5.64 mV near pI (pH 3.5-4.5). The highest protein solubility, 32%, was observed at pH 9 for 10S-NF LPC. Thermal analysis shows denaturation peaks at 61.50-63°C. FTIR and SEM revealed sonication-induced structural changes, resulting in uniform, well-dispersed particles in the filtered samples. This research highlights how pre-treatment parameters impact the LPC properties, offering a potential avenue for scalable industrial protein production from agricultural by-products.

Apple pomace (AP), a fiber-rich by-product of juice processing, holds potential as a functional ingredient. However, its highly insoluble nature limits its applicability in food formulations. This study compared the effectiveness of two enzymatic complexes, a carbohydrolytic enzyme complex (CHEC) or a cellulolytic enzyme complex (CEC), in reducing the AP insoluble profile. Structural changes were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction, and particle size. Techno-functional properties, including solubility, water retention capacity (WRC), oil retention capacity (ORC), and swelling capacity (SWC), were also evaluated. Both enzymes significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the lignin and hemicellulose contents, while increasing soluble DF components such as soluble uronic acid and neutral sugars. CEC decreased cellulose content by 20%, whereas CHEC did not affect it. While CHEC treatment reduced WRC by 20%, it yielded the highest solubility. CEC enhanced SWC and solubility by 45% and 59%, respectively, compared to untreated AP. FT-IR and DSC results demonstrated that both enzymatic treatments disrupted the hydrogen bonding of cellulose and hemicellulose, as well as the pectic β-glycosidic linkages, thereby reducing particle size and enhancing techno-functional properties. Consequently, CHEC and CEC emerge as viable strategies to enhance AP functionality through DF modification. CHEC is particularly efficient, requiring lower enzyme concentrations, milder processing conditions, and shorter hydrolysis times. These findings highlight enzymatic modification as a promising approach for valorizing AP as a functional ingredient.

Brewer’s surplus yeast is the second-largest by-product of the brewing industry. Despite its rich nutrient profile, including protein, amino acids, B vitamins, oligosaccharides, and minerals, most of it is discarded. This study aims to valorize the surplus yeast of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DSM 2155 generated at a local Madeiran enterprise. The surplus yeast was used to remove monosaccharides remaining as secondary products from the synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides via fermentation and for producing yeast extract serving as a nitrogen source for the growth of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, lactobacilli) microorganisms. Two commercial β-galactosidases, Enzeco Fungal Lactase Concentrate (Enzyme Development Corporation, USA) and Biolactase F Conc (Biocon, Spain), were immobilized in glutaraldehyde-activated halloysite nanotubes and used in a repeated batch operation for the synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides from lactose. After two rounds of synthesis, both synthesis products roughly consisted of 36% galacto-oligosaccharides, 44–49% lactose, 15–20% monosaccharides (glucose and galactose). Fermentation with surplus yeast led to a composition of 41% galacto-oligosaccharides, 47–51% lactose, and 8–12% monosaccharides, due to an almost complete removal of glucose, decreasing its content to only 1% in the final preparations. In a parallel assay, yeast extract was produced by autoclaving, autolysis, and enzymolysis using Viscozyme L (Novozymes, ND) and used as culture medium for E. coli, S. aureus, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. This study demonstrates a dual strategy for valorizing brewer’s surplus yeast, yielding nutritionally valuable resources for potential biotechnological applications.

This study reports the development of a novel liposomal delivery system in which red palm oil (RPO) was co-encapsulated with curcumin (CC) pre-solubilized in a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES-CC), designed to enhance the stability and bioavailability of lipophilic bioactive compounds. Liposomes (LP) were fabricated using thin-film hydration. Blank (empty) LP (Empty-LP), NADES-CC-loaded LP (CC-LP), RPO-loaded LP (RPO-LP), and co-encapsulated formulations (CP1-LP, CP2-LP, and CP3-LP; NADES-CC/RPO ratios of 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1, respectively) were produced using the same protocol and systematically characterized in terms of encapsulation efficiency (EE), morphology, antioxidant activity, and in vitro digestion behavior. The optimized formulation, CP2-LP, exhibited a markedly higher EE for β-carotene (80.02%) compared with RPO-LP (58.14%) and retained moderate levels of CC (~ 50 to 60%) throughout 240 min of simulated gastrointestinal (GI) digestion. Transmission electron microscopy revealed typical vesicular morphology with improved structural stability. Co-encapsulation significantly retarded lipid hydrolysis, lowered free fatty acid release, and preserved antioxidant activity during both storage and digestion. Moreover, CP2-LP and CP3-LP maintained superior radical-scavenging capacity over 30 days and exhibited good macrophage compatibility and nitric oxide inhibitory effects in RAW264.7 cells. After 30 days of storage, these co-encapsulated formulations retained 62.39–76.23% of their initial DPPH radical scavenging activity, whereas CC-LP and RPO-LP retained only 23.08–27.65% and Empty-LP showed negligible activity. Collectively, these findings highlight the synergistic role of NADES-CC and RPO in enhancing liposomal stability and delivery efficiency, as reflected by sustained CC retention and improved bioaccessibility, offering a promising platform for nutraceutical applications under GI conditions.

Listeria monocytogenes, as one of the most virulent and high-risk foodborne pathogens, is a well-documented causative agent of listeriosis that jeopardizes human health. This bacterium exhibits widespread distribution across diverse food categories, with particularly high prevalence in meat products. Consequently, the development of rapid and sensitive detection methods for L. monocytogenes is critically important for ensuring public health and food safety. Herein, we developed an innovative detection approach by synergistically integrating the high sensitivity of saltatory rolling circle amplification (SRCA) with the rapid visual interpretation capability of lateral flow strips (LFS). This SRCA-LFS method enables efficient onsite detection of L. monocytogenes in meat products, significantly shortening the detection time and enhancing field applicability. Specifically, the proposed method can detect L. monocytogenes in meat products within 40 min. The SRCA-LFS assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 2.94 × 10⁰ fg/μL and a limit of detection of 3.46 × 10⁰ CFU/mL, which are comparable to those of real-time fluorescence SRCA and 100-fold superior to PCR-LFS. The relative sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of this method were 100.00%, 97.62%, and 98.00%, respectively. These results highlight that the SRCA-LFS method, characterized by operational simplicity, high efficiency, and user-friendly design, holds excellent potential for onsite detection of foodborne pathogens.

This study examined the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) and ultrasound (US) treatments on damaged starch (DS) content in wheat flour–water suspensions at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 20%. Samples were treated using PEF (3–5 kV/cm, 3–15 kJ/kg, 50 Hz, 10 µs) and US (24 kHz, 100 W, 3–8 min). The samples with the lowest DS content were selected for further analysis of their physicochemical, techno-functional properties, and in vitro starch digestibility. DS levels in wheat flour treated with pulsed electric field (WF-PEF) and wheat flour treated with ultrasound (WF-US) ranged from 3.52 to 6.13% and 4.19 to 6.20%, respectively, which is well below the 10% standard threshold. PEF treatment did not significantly affect DG content, whereas US treatment notably reduced it from 9.23 to 5.74%, likely due to the formation of a starch-protein complex. Birefringence and SEM confirmed the preservation of starch crystalline and granular structure. Techno-functional properties, including solubility (16%), swelling power (4.5 g/g), and water absorption capacity (312%), remained unchanged compared to the control, which had values of 15.55%, 4.50 g/g, and 311.9%, respectively. Both treatments increased particle size and promoted structural rearrangements, which significantly influenced WF’s digestibility. At the end of the intestinal phase, hydrolysis rates (HR) were approximately 30% for WF, while WF-PEF and WF-US exhibited lower values of 20% and 14%, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of PEF and US as effective, non-thermal techniques for tailoring the physicochemical and nutritional properties of wheat flour without compromising its functional integrity.

Integrating new plant protein ingredients into formulated foods requires understanding how they behave under complex conditions such as variations in pH, ionic strength, and interactions with other components. These factors directly influence functional properties that determine their success in diverse applications, from beverages and baked goods to meat analogues and aerated products. This study investigated RuBisCO-rich legume grass concentrates (LGCs) produced through a gentle, industrially scalable membrane filtration process coupled with spray-drying. The work aimed to characterise their physicochemical and functional behaviour under realistic commercial formulations, including the combination of two pH levels (4 and 7) and two ionic strengths (0.02 M and 0.2 M NaCl). Two drying conditions (lab and pilot-scale) were also compared to assess their influence on ingredient properties. While the drying process affected hydrophobicity and particle size, these changes did not significantly alter functional performance. Instead, pH was the dominant factor: foaming stability improved under acidic conditions, while gel strength and gelling capacity were higher at neutral pH. Ionic strength had a minor yet positive effect on solubility and gel firmness. Overall, the results highlight the versatility of LGCs as sustainable protein ingredients suitable for a wide range of plant-based food applications.