Food Biophysics最新文献

This study investigated the effect of natural antioxidants from mullein flowers (Verbascum thapsus L.) on the quality and oxidative stability of linseed oil (Linum usitatissimum L.). Ultrasonic-assisted maceration was optimized by evaluating the effects of extraction time, ultrasonic power, and flower concentration. The optimal conditions for maximising oil oxidative stability were identified as 3.31 min of ultrasound, 40 W power, and 8.56% (w/w) flower content. Under these conditions, the oxidative stability of the oil improved significantly, with an average protective factor of 1.74. Although slight increases in hydrolysis and oxidation were observed, the oils remained within acceptable quality and safety limits. Maceration also enhanced oils’ bioactive compounds content, increasing phenolic content from 68.82 to 92.57 to 368.65–419.02 mg GAE/100 g and flavonoids from 6.24 to 8.87 to 34.54–38.20 mg QT/100 g. Additionally, the macerated oils had higher antioxidant activity, chlorophyll, and carotenoid levels. While the maceration process led to a reduction in individual fatty acid groups, the loss was less pronounced than that caused by ultrasound treatment alone. Overall, ultrasonic maceration with mullein flowers effectively improved both the bioactive properties and oxidative stability of linseed oil.

Alternative sustainable and green protein modification technologies for the improvement of functional properties of plant proteins are gaining increasing attention. This study investigated the novel application of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a gentle and uniform protein processing technology to enhance the functional properties of Soybean Protein Isolate (SPI). SPI was hydrated in PAW solutions prepared at different plasma exposure times (0–30 min) and then freeze-dried. Evaluations included Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, sulfhydryl content, particle size, gel electrophoresis, surface hydrophobicity, solubility, water holding capacity, contact angle, and emulsifying activity and stability. Key findings revealed that PAW treatment induced partial unfolding of SPI, enhanced α-helix structure while reducing β-sheet content, particularly in the PAW20 group. Sulfhydryl group oxidation led to disulfide bond formation, transiently exposing buried groups and decreasing total sulfhydryl content. Surface hydrophobicity and solubility peaked at PAW15 treatment, significantly enhancing SPI’s emulsifying properties. Prolonged treatment (> 15 min) caused protein aggregation, diminishing functionality. Optimal PAW15 treatment improves SPI’s structural flexibility and interfacial properties, offering a sustainable strategy for developing high-performance plant protein ingredients in food systems. These results highlight the potential of PAW as a novel and effective method to improve the functional properties of plant proteins.

Proteins have potential to form the next generation of delivery vehicles for functional food and nutraceutical applications. Improved water solubility, biocompatibility and non-toxicity make them an attractive prospect for a health-conscious society. Research unveils these biopolymers as efficient encapsulators of bioactive compounds for controlled release, however, much of the literature does not explore the microstructural properties and physical mechanisms governing release from such systems. Of particular interest is the role of the aqueous solvent in controlling small molecule diffusivity. At a low level of solids, the presence of solvent alters the physical landscape of the protein and defines critical parameters such as crosslink density, mesh size and intermolecular coupling constant as tuneable properties to control release. As the level of solids increases, the landscape again shifts. Here, protein molecules can be treated using the free volume theory to ascribe a link between the mechanical glass transition temperature and bioactive compound release. While the focus of this review is on proteins, the industrialist must also consider protein and polysaccharide mixtures, as they closely resemble industrial formulations. Here, we demonstrate how the use of fundamental rheology-based blending laws provides a mechanistic understanding of these composite gels in relation to bioactive compound diffusion.

Extrusion cooking is a popular high temperature short time pasteurization (HTST method) for preparing snacks and ready-to-eat food products. This study investigates the incorporation of underutilized medicinal plants ashwagandha, gudwel, ginger, and drumstick leaves into extruded snacks made from sorghum, corn, and millet. A single-screw extruder and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to evaluate the effects of six independent variables on product characteristics such as mass flow rate, bulk density, expansion ratio, water absorption index, texture, color, and sensory attributes. The impact of the independent variable on the dependent variable was shown using the second-order polynomial regression equation. The best-optimized product was prepared at 15% moisture content, 60:30:10 blend ratio, 5% ashwagandha, 9% ginger, 2% gudwel, and 2.5% drumstick leaves powder. The corresponding values for the optimized product were: 0.324 g/s mass flow rate, 0.214 g/s bulk density, 4.326 expansion ratio, 416.68% water absorption index, 627.135 hardness, 9.215 crispness, color L-value 62.447, and overall acceptability 7.870. The optimized extrusion process successfully enhanced the nutritional and sensory properties of medicinal plant-enriched snacks, demonstrating their potential for functional food applications.

The interactions between Agaricus bisporus lectin (ABL) and phenolic acids, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) and p-coumaric acid (p-CA), were found to be non-covalent in nature at neutral pH and ambient temperature according to UV-vis analysis. Secondary structure analysis of the ABL on complexation with 4HBA or p-CA showed a reduction in α-helix content of around 3 and 4%, respectively. Intrinsic fluorescence quenching indicates that the association constant between ABL and 4HBA is stronger (1.27 × 10⁵ M^− 1) than ABL and p-CA (1.88 × 10⁴ M^− 1), with molecular docking analysis also showing a stronger binding energy (ΔG) for ABL-4HBA (-20.1 kJ/mol) than ABL-p-CA (-16.3 kJ/mol). Docking also suggests that phenolic acid interactions occur in the glucose binding region of ABL, stabilized mainly by multiple hydrogen bonds, notably including Arg103, which is also suspected to be a significant residue in glucose binding. These findings provide valuable insights into the binding behaviour of ABL with naturally occurring phenolic compounds, contributing to a better understanding of its potential bioactive properties in functional foods or as a nutraceutical.

As a predominant etiological agent of dental caries, Streptococcus mutans plays a pivotal role in the development of dental plaque. Given that the fermentative bacteria from Pu’er tea exert inhibitory effects on Streptococcus mutans, in this study, we examined the co-aggregation interactions between nine strains of Pu’er tea fermentative bacteria and three strains of Streptococcus mutans. Notably, Bacillus camelliae 7578-1 ^T and Paenibacillus yunnanensis YN2^T demonstrated robust co-aggregation capabilities. Treatments with sugars, heat, proteases, and amino acids, revealed that protein and saccharide molecules on bacterial surfaces significantly contribute to intergeneric co-aggregation. Importantly, strains 7578-1 ^T and YN2^T reduced the biofilm biomass and culturable cell counts of Streptococcus mutans, indicating their potential for maintaining oral health. Furthermore, hydrophobic interactions, disulfide bonding, and hydrogen bonding were observed in dual-species biofilms. This research elucidates the functional significance of Pu’er tea fermentative bacteria in regulating oral microbial communities and lays a groundwork for further investigation into their potential utility in the prevention of dental caries.

Gelatin films face limitations in strength and water stability, making bionanocomposites an effective strategy to enhance their functional properties for food packaging applications. This study explores the effects of environmentally-friendly-extracted date seed nanocellulose (DSNC; 4–8%) and tannic acid (TA; 1–5%) as bio-based multifunctional components on structural, thermal, antioxidant, and barrier properties of bionanocomposite camel skin gelatin (CSG) films. A comparison was drawn with films fabricated using porcine and bovine gelatin sources. The overall functionality of the bionanocomposite films and crystallinity of the developed films were assessed through fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The results suggest that TA induced crosslinking and DSNC facilitated hydrogen bonding, improved the mechanical, antioxidant, barrier and thermal properties of the developed films. In particular, composite CSG films having 5% TA and 8% DSNC exhibited 12.2% lower water solubility, 36.4% lower transparency, significantly higher DPPH radical scavenging (4.77 mmol TEAC/mL) and FRAP (7.20 mmol TEAC/mL) activities, 117.3% higher tensile strength (17.55 MPa), 73.6% lower elongation at break, and 57.7% lower water vapor transmission rate in comparison to control, respectively. The composite films containing 5% TA and 8% DSNC were observed to degrade up to 95% in four weeks under controlled conditions. The results from DSC further highlighted the improved thermal stability of composite films. Overall, the incorporation of TA and DSNC in camel skin derived gelatin films presents an effective approach to valorize byproducts coming from camel slaughter and date processing industries for producing sustainable, multifunctional materials for food packaging applications.

Graphical Abstract

Total phenolic content (TPC) is a critical quality parameter evaluating the bioactive properties of ethanolic propolis extracts. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between color parameters (Hunter Lab), Brix% (dry matter), and total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity in the ethanolic propolis extracts. Four different percentages of ethanol (96%, 90%, 80% and 70%) and four different propolis concentrations (40%, 30%, 20% and 10%) were used in the study. Total phenolic substance amounts, and antioxidant values ​​of the extracts were measured according to the ferric reducing power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity assays. Pearson correlation analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling were utilized to examine these interactions. The study results showed that both ethanol percentage and propolis amount affected the amount of TPC in the extracts and accordingly the antioxidant capacity. A strong correlation between TPC and the Hunter L* color parameter, as well as Brix%, was identified through ANN modeling, yielding the predictive equation: TPC (mg GAE/mL)=[− 0.07×L + 0.87×Dry Matter − 0.0130]. The ANN-based model developed to predict total phenolic content (TPC) showed about 85% agreement with experimentally obtained values. However, it is predicted that the prediction accuracy of the model will improve with the addition of a larger and more diverse data set. In conclusion, ANN modeling offers a promising alternative for faster and economical evaluation of the quality of ethanolic propolis extracts.

• Total phenolic content (TPC) indicates propolis extract quality.

• High TPC correlates with increased color intensity and dry matter (Brix)%.

• ANN modeling showed strong links between TPC, L* value, and Brix%.

• TPC can be predicted from color and Brix% via ANN models.

This study examined the effect of sonication conditions on the extraction rate of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides (IOPs) through a single-factor experiment. Meanwhile, the Box-Behnken design was utilized to optimize the sonication-assisted extraction technology. On the basis of polysaccharide yields, the optimal IOPs extraction rate (4.13%) was achieved with ultrasonic time (31 min), ultrasonic frequency (28 kHz), ultrasonic temperature (63℃) and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 g/mL. The empirical data obtained from these reactions closely align with the theoretical values generated by the mathematical model. Antioxidant experimental results indicated that the scavenging abilities of the polysaccharides from IOPs on DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anion radicals were positively correlated with their concentration, with maximum scavenging rates of 64.1%, 65.7%, and 34.1%, respectively, suggesting that the IOPs possess strong antioxidant activity. The structure of the IOPs was analyzed using the ultraviolet and infrared spectra. The results revealed that IOPs were pyranose cyclic polysaccharides with β-glycosidic bonds, carbonyl groups, hydroxyl groups, and other functional groups. This confirms the feasibility of ultrasonic-assisted extraction for IOPs, indicating its potential application in pharmaceutical extraction research. This study laid a foundation for further development and utilization of Inonotus obliquus.

Porang glucomannan (PGM) is widely used as a functional ingredient in food and non-food products. However, the PGM industry still faces low PGM yield, which is a significant challenge in extracting PGM from porang flour (PF) using mechanical method (milling process aided by a wind-sifter). Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are promising green solvents for glucomannan extraction. This study aimed to investigate the influence of stirring speed, PF particle size, filter pore size, and solvent recycling on characteristics of PGM using NADES composed of betaine and 1,2-propanediol at a 30% (W_water/W_total) hydration level (BPG14_70%). The PGM was characterized by glucomannan content, crystallinity, gel properties, morphology, and particle size distribution. The findings showed that increasing filter pore size and stirring speed improved the purity and viscosity of PGM. The PF particle size was the primary factor in glucomannan extraction, in which a smaller PF particle size reduced crystallinity and impurities surrounding the surface of PGM, resulting in higher purity and improved gel properties (firmer and springier gel). The suggested conditions for glucomannan extraction were a stirring speed of 800 rpm, a filter pore size of 149 μm, and a PF particle size of 257 μm. These conditions resulted in 76% PGM yield with a glucomannan content of 93% and strong gel properties. Additionally, after reusing five cycles, BPG14_70% could be recovered ranged 84–78%, producing PGM with a purity above 80%. Our findings offer an extraction technology to produce a high yield of purified PGM with a low environmental load.