Food and Bioprocess Technology最新文献

The present study evaluates the effects of incorporating quercetin-loaded nanogel (NG) made from soy protein isolate (SPI) and Xanthan-gum, along with nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC), into a matrix of starch and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) using the casting method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images illustrated the notable influence of CNC and NG on the surface morphology of the films. Notably, the Starch/HPMC/CNC10% (SHN10) composite film enriched with 7 wt.% NGs (SHN10NGs7) exhibited a remarkable improvement in tensile strength performance, increasing from 7.9 ± 0.52 to 14.2 ± 0.41 MPa, accompanied by a reduction in elongation at break from 56.9 ± 2.51 to 8.8 ± 0.31. Moreover, SHN10NG7 film demonstrated notable antioxidant and antibacterial efficiency due to the quercetin release. Remarkably, the films exhibited significant inhibitory effects on both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In summary, the resulting composite film, comprising an optimized blend of CNC and NG, exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, improved barrier characteristics, and notable antibacterial activity. The findings suggest that the novel active packaging in this study can be a promising candidate for utilization as an active food packaging material, presenting opportunities for innovative applications in the realm of high-quality functional packaging materials.

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A novel film was developed from barberry (BA) anthocyanins immobilized on cobalt-based metal–organic framework (Co-MOF) nanoparticles utilizing biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan nanofiber (ChNF) as intelligent and active packaging for red meat freshness. The aim of the study was evaluated in two scenarios, the first evaluation of the potential of Co-MOF for embedding in packaging films as antimicrobial properties and cobalt color change due to amine release and pH change, and the second evaluation of the application of Co-MOF in the controlled release of BA anthocyanins as antioxidant properties and color changes of food packaging films during spoilage of red meat. The findings showed that the addition of Co-MOF nanoparticles significantly increased the PVA/ChNF film’s specific surface area, and Co-MOF’s better capacity to concentrate volatile amines allowed the film to detect freshness extremely sensitively, and the antibacterial capabilities of the films for E. coli, S. aureus, and P. fluorescence bacteria were 20.3 ± 0.3 mm, 21.6 ± 0.2 mm, and 19.6 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. Moreover, the inclusion of BA and Co-MOF significantly improves the tensile strength (from 67.2 to 81.3 MPa), flexibility (18.9 to 22.3%), UV protection, water vapor resistance, and sensitivity to ammonia-induced discoloration of the PVA/ChNF film. PVA/ChNF/Co-MOF and PVA/ChNF/Co-MOF/BA films’ colors changed from pink to dark brown and from deep peach to black-greenish-brown when used to track the spoilage of red meat. In conclusion, it was possible to use the created films as intelligent and active food packaging materials.

Traditional polysaccharide-based films, though environmentally friendly, face challenges like poor heat resistance and susceptibility to bacterial contamination, limiting their application in bio-based and smart food packaging. This study presents a novel composite film by incorporating zinc ions (Zn²⁺) into hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium alginate (SA). This HPMC/zinc-alginate (ZA) film aims to address these limitations. The study investigates the microstructure, physicochemical properties, thermal stability, antimicrobial efficacy, pH responsiveness, and food freshness monitoring performance of films. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified enhanced hydrogen bond interactions among Zn²⁺, curcumin, and the film matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed superior crystallinity, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed improved thermal stability. The Zn²⁺ addition provided 99.99% antibacterial effectiveness against S. aureus and E. coli. The HPMC₅/ZA₅-Cur_3% film effectively monitored food quality by changing color as food deteriorated. This research supports the development of natural, edible packaging films with enhanced safety and monitoring capabilities, marking a significant advance in smart food packaging technology.

Pea protein ingredients are typically produced through alkaline solubilization and isoelectric point precipitation. This work evaluated the influence of milling and the resulting flour particle sizes on the recovery of protein fractions and antinutrient contents via this extraction method. Milling energy inputs of 2.39 to 260 kJ/kg were applied to yellow and green peas. An energy input of 180 kJ/kg yielded a d₉₀ of ~ 2.2 μm. No further significant difference was found when the input was increased further. Increasing the milling energy input increased the release of globulins, albumins, and phytic acid from both pea cultivars. The protein yield of the globulin-rich fraction increased up to 52.1 ± 1.3% using yellow peas and up to 54.2 ± 0.6% using green peas. The resulting protein extracts had protein contents of 77.0 ± 1.9% and 78.5 ± 0.9%, respectively. Similarly, the protein yield of albumin-rich fractions also significantly increased up to around 17.5% when using both cultivars. The albumin-rich fractions represented the largest mass yielded in the extraction process from both pea types. With increasing milling energy input, phytic acid solubilization increased as well and its yield rose to around 40% in both protein fractions. However, trypsin inhibitor yields were relatively low in them. Overall, a milling energy input at 130 kJ/kg resulted in particle sizes that yielded optimum protein solubilization but simultaneously increased solubilization of phytic acid. This indicates that adjusting the energy input and particle size of the pea protein raw material can customize the composition of the resulting protein ingredient.

Sunnhemp protein isolate (SHPI) was prepared by utilizing alkaline extraction and acid precipitation method, followed by ultrasound treatment at 50% amplitude for 20 min having fixed power, frequency, and pulse ratio of 500 W, 20 kHz, 15 s, respectively. The ultrasound pretreated SHPI was conjugated with dextran (1:1 w/w ratio) by dry-heating method of Maillard reaction at 60 °C for 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days of incubation at 79% relative humidity. The functional properties of SHPI-dextran conjugates like solubility, emulsifying, foaming, water- and oil-binding capacities, dispersibility, and gelation were improved as compared to pure SHPI. Increments in browning index values of SHPI-dextran conjugates were observed with an increase in Maillard reaction time. The α-helix content of conjugated SHPI reduced, while the β-sheet, β-turn, and random coils content increased. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of covalent bonds between SHPI and dextran via Maillard reaction. XRD analysis indicated both the semicrystalline and amorphous structure of SHPI-dextran conjugates as the incubation time was increased from 0 to 9 days. The decreasing trend in the values of H₀ values was found with an increase in incubation time. Free and total sulfhydryl content of SHPI was increased after conjugation with dextran for up to 5 days and thereafter decreased. The incubation time of 5 days at 60 °C and 79% RH was optimized on the basis of improvement in functional characteristics and extent of Maillard reaction time. Overall, the present study showed that conjugation with dextran successfully improved the functional characteristics of SHPI.

Production of legume protein powders with consistent functionality and physicochemical properties has been challenging. Additionally, the inconsistency of legume protein powders affects the potential use in various food matrices. Integrated extraction and spray drying conditions can produce legume protein powder with consistent physicochemical properties. This review gives an in-depth discussion on legume protein produced using alkali-isoelectric precipitation isolation and spray drying. Alkali-acid precipitation and spray drying affect the composition, secondary and tertiary structure, solubility, and emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties. It was demonstrated that few studies focus on the stability of various spray-dried legume proteins during storage. The large gap between protein functionality of protein produced at different scales remains a challenge. Furthermore, off-flavor development during isolation and storage influences the potential application of legume protein. The combined effect of extraction and spray drying conditions on the properties, functionality, and storage stability should be further investigated to magnify applications of legume protein powder.

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Different prebiotics have already been used as wall material for the microencapsulation of probiotics by spray drying. In this study, microparticles were developed by spray drying, using yacon flour, rich in oligosaccharides, combined with conventional materials such as maltodextrin and gelatin to microencapsulate Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. The microparticles obtained were evaluated for encapsulation efficiency, probiotic resistance to heat, and pH variations. The most resistant microparticle was selected. After selection, the microparticle was characterized and evaluated for the viability of the probiotic during 120 days in different storage conditions (− 18, 8, and 25 °C), survival to gastrointestinal conditions in vitro, and its behavior in pitaya jelly. Among the evaluated treatments, the microparticle containing 11.11% maltodextrin, 2.22% gelatin, and 6.67% yacon potato flour showed encapsulation efficiency of 69.92%, high thermal resistance (> 64%) of the probiotic, and survival of the same in acidic pH (> 76%). During storage for 120 days, the probiotic remained viable in the microparticle with counts > 6 log CFU.g⁻¹ under freezing and resisted in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions with approximately 5.64 log CFU.g⁻¹ of viable cells. The microparticle provided high survival (> 70%) of the probiotic after 60 days of storage at 8 °C in pitaya jelly, causing slight variations in the pH and viscosity of the product. Thus, it is believed that the microparticle composed of maltodextrin, yacon potato flour, and gelatin can carry and protect L. rhamnosus GG during jelly processing and storage steps, being a new alternative to be used in spray drying microencapsulation technology and development of potentially symbiotic foods.

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This study aimed to investigate the aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) degradation as a result of using cold plasma by dielectric barrier discharge method at atmospheric pressure with gases (air, nitrogen, argon, and nitrogen + argon) at different times (0, 5, 15, 25, and 35 min) and also to model AFB₁ inactivation, cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep-G₂), and AFB₁ bioaccessibility in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The plasma gas flow rate was set to 10 L/min, and the length of the plasma jet was set to about 3 cm. AFB₁ was measured in inoculated bread samples by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and rapid molecular detection of Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) based on the aflatoxin biosynthesis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done. The results showed that by increasing the plasma induction time to 25 min, the AFB₁ degradation increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the control sample. Applying different plasmas showed that air had the most effect and argon had the most minor impact on the AFB₁ degradation. The optimized PCR provided a very high specificity to identify and confirm the presence of A. flavus. AFB1 degradation kinetics modeling and model validation revealed that the Weibull model is the best model to describe aflatoxin degradation in inoculated bread. Evaluation of cytotoxicity against Hep-G₂ and bioaccessibility of AFB1 showed that bread samples treated with plasma had lower cytotoxicity and bioaccessibility compared to the control sample. Using air plasma in 25 min more effectively reduced the bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity against Hep-G₂ compared to other plasmas.

The objectives of this study were to develop a thermal image analysis method for assessing the surface temperature of stainless steel (30 cm × 30 cm) during pilot-scale superheated steam sanitation and evaluate the sanitation efficacy based on the inactivation of Enterococcus faecium. An infrared camera, calibrated to a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.4 °C within a range of 25 °C and 250 °C, was utilized. The results showed that the surface temperature at the impingement point decreased linearly from 245.6 ± 3.2 to 157.6 ± 1.7 °C as the nozzle-to-surface distance was increased from 2 to 5 cm. Furthermore, at a 2 cm nozzle-to-surface distance, temperatures swiftly dropped from 245.6 ± 3.2 to 95.8 ± 6.0 °C as the radial distance increased from 0 to 10 cm. In the stagnation region (0–1 cm radial distance), where the steam jet directly contacts the surface, the time required to achieve a 3-log reduction of E. faecium was reduced from 3 to 1 min as the nozzle-to-surface distance decreased from 5 to 2 cm. The efficacy of superheated steam sanitation was further evaluated under practical sweeping conditions, demonstrating a 2.7 ± 0.4 log reduction of E. faecium on a 900 cm² stainless steel surface within 10 min. This study thus highlights the potential use of thermal image analysis for optimizing superheated steam sanitation processes, particularly in dry food processing environments.

The aim of this study was to optimize sequential ultrasound-radio frequency–assisted extraction (URAE) of pectin from pomelo peel. Effects of sonication power and time, radio frequency (RF) heating temperature, and time on the pectin yield (PY) were evaluated. Based upon optimized URAE parameters, the yield, physicochemical, and structure properties of pectin recovered from sequential radio frequency-ultrasound–assisted extraction (RUAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and RF-assisted extraction (RFAE) were also compared. A maximal PY of 28.36 ± 0.85% was attained at the optimized URAE conditions including solvent pH of 1.5 (citric acid), sonication at 183 W for 24 min, and RF heating at 87 °C for 23 min. Although all four samples had a high degree of esterification more than 50%, URAE was the lowest. No significant changes were observed in the types of monosaccharides among different samples. Furthermore, all four samples (6.6–10.3 mg GAE/g) showed significantly higher total phenolic content than those of commercial citrus pectin (1.2 mg GAE/g), and among them, RFAE was the highest with the best antioxidant capacity. The water and oil holding capacities of the four samples were between 3.5 to 4.0 and 2.6 to 3.0 g/g, respectively, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between each other. Structure properties indicated that there were no significant differences in the main chemical structures among the four pectin samples. Morphology analysis of URAE showed a more compact, smoother, and flatter surface than that of RUAE and RFAE. The results observed in this paper suggest that sequential URAE is an efficient strategy for the recovery of high-quality pectins.