Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization最新文献

Strawberry is consumed worldwide as one of the high nutritional berries with complicated flavour and rich bioactive compounds. This study reported a diversity of fruit characteristics, bioactive substances, antioxidant properties and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in different varieties of strawberry. Red strawberry had higher total soluble solids (6.20–8.23%), phenolic (12.74–13.34 mg GAE/g) and anthocyanins (141.24-233.06 mg CGE/100 g DW), cyanidin (5.38–7.95 mg/100 g DW) and pelargonidin content (64.93-108.89 mg/100 g DW) than pink and white strawberry. White strawberry had the highest titratable acidity (0.47%) and total free amino acid content (839.70 mg/100 g DW). Pink strawberry had higher content of total flavonoid content (8.77 mg RE/g DW) than white strawberry (6.98 mg RE/g DW). Red strawberry had greater antioxidant capacity than pink and white strawberry. Among the identified 55 VOCs, white strawberry had the highest content of terpenes (8336.1 µg/kg) and acids (2293.9 µg/kg). The characteristic aroma of strawberry was contributed by 20 VOCs with OAV > 1. The particular flavour of white strawberry was primarily due to linalool and ethyl isovalerate, while red and pink strawberry was respectively characterized by nonanal and ethyl isocaproate. Several significant correlations between quality traits and VOCs were found. These results provided information on the aroma profiles and nutritional qualities of red, pink and white strawberries from China.

An alumina/β-cyclodextrin composite adsorbent (ACDC) was prepared using neutral alumina and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as raw material and characterized by SEM, FTIR, TGA, and XRD. The results showed that ACDC was stacked in an ordered layered manner with significantly improved thermal stability. The cholesterol adsorption kinetics and isothermal adsorption experiments revealed that ACDC’s cholesterol adsorption behavior followed the Freundlich isotherm models and the pseudo-second-order kinetic with a maximum adsorption capacity of 88.26 mg/g. The adsorption process was primarily physical and multi-layered. Response surface methodology optimized the optimal cholesterol removal conditions from fish oil as a ratio of adsorbent to fish oil of 13%, adsorption temperature of 47 ℃, and time of 1.3 h, achieving a cholesterol removal rate of 65.19%. This rate was significantly superior to individual components and their physical mixture. In addition, ACDC had no significant effect on the nutritional quality of fish oil. This study demonstrated that ACDC holds potential as a cholesterol-removing agent in fish oil processing.

This study examines the effects of calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions on the physical properties and protein composition of sodium caseinate (NaCas) solutions during thermal processing. Using various analytical methods, including spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), LUMisizer, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we assessed soluble protein content, ionic presence in the serum phase, particle size, dispersion stability, and protein profiling. Our findings reveal that calcium significantly reduces NaCas solubility beyond 12 mM, precipitating α and β caseins, while magnesium has a milder effect, slightly altering αs1-casein solubility even at 15 mM. Both ions exhibited similar binding patterns in the serum phase, forming aggregates of varying densities and sizes. Particle size and dispersion analyses indicated aggregation without cross-linking or gelation within the NaCas matrix. The findings highlight the intricate influence of divalent cations on the physical properties and protein characteristics of heat-treated NaCas, with significant implications for the development of NaCas-enriched dairy nutritional products.

Electron beam (EB) irradiation effectively eliminates microorganisms in Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua but may alter its odors simultaneously. To investigate the impact of EB irradiation on the odor of P. cyrtonema Hua, this study employed headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and an electronic nose (E-nose) integrated with chemometric analysis for differential analysis of irradiated samples. Results showed that 60 volatile compounds were identified in P. cyrtonema Hua, with alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, and heterocyclic compounds constituting the main components. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis revealed that samples were classified into two groups with increasing irradiation doses: low-dose groups (3 kGy, 6 kGy) clustered with the non-irradiated control (CK), while high-dose groups (8–20 kGy) formed another cluster. Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) screened 22 differential volatile components dominated by aldehydes, esters, and alkanes, demonstrating their high sensitivity to EB irradiation above 6 kGy. The 6 kGy dose threshold offers guidance for optimizing industrial-scale EB sterilization protocols in traditional Chinese medicine production, ensuring compliance with pharmacopeia microbial limits without compromising product sensory quality.

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In this study, the maceration (MAC), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) extraction methods were compared for the extraction from peanut skin. Various method parameters were examined by one-factor experiments (ethanol concentration, extraction time and solvent/material ratio, microwave power, extraction temperature and pressure). The total phenolic content (TPC) of peanut skin was measured and the antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Among the methods, SC-CO₂ was most effective for peanut skin, achieving a TPC of 99.39 mg GAE/g and a DPPH activity of 776.35 µmol TE/g, while MAC showed a similarly high TPC (96.06 mg GAE/g) but lower antioxidant capacity. SC-CO₂ extraction was selected as the optimal technique due to its effectiveness in extracting bioactive compounds. The SC-CO₂ extract was freeze-dried and then the lyophilized extract was solved in water and ethanol (50%, v/v) at 20 mg/mL concentration to obtain aqueous and ethanolic extracts for further characterization. The lyophilized extract showed low water activity (0.23), low moisture (8.78%) and low solubility (15.7% and 20.10% in water and ethanol (50%, v/v)). LC-DAD–ESI-MS/MS analysis evaluated the phenolic profile of extracts and similar profiles were observed in aqueous and ethanolic extracts. However, most peaks were detected at lower concentrations in aqueous extract. The phenolic profile was dominated largely by proanthocyanidins, particularly A-type procyanidins. Based on the FTIR spectra of the lyophilized, aqueous and ethanolic extracts, the following classes of compounds were confirmed: phenols, amides, esters, amino acids, carboxylic acids, alcohols, polysaccharides, lipids, carbohydrates, and flavonoids. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was detected against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and K. pneumoniae, but they were ineffective against E. coli.

Active packaging represents a cutting-edge frontier in food preservation, attracting significant attention. However, the effectiveness of packaging films containing single active substances remains limited. In this study, a novel synergistic packaging film was developed using basil seed gum (BSG) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the film matrix, and thyme essential oil (TEO) and ε-polylysine (PL) as dual active components. This combination leveraged the complementary antimicrobial mechanisms of TEO and PL, enhancing film functionality. Comprehensive characterization revealed that the TEO/PL composite film exhibited a denser microstructure, superior mechanical properties (18.42 ± 0.33 MPa tensile strength, 5.77 ± 0.09% elongation at break), and significantly reduced UV transmittance, water vapor permeability ((5.22 ± 0.59) × 10⁻¹¹ g mm/m² s Pa), and oxygen permeability ((4.85 ± 0.28) × 10⁻¹⁰ g/m² s). FT-IR analysis demonstrated excellent compatibility between the components. Notably, the composite film achieved remarkable antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli with an inhibition zone diameter of 11.54 ± 0.23 mm, outperforming films containing TEO or PL alone. In cold meat preservation trials, the composite film extended the storage life to 9 days, as evidenced by lower microbial counts, TBARS values, and TVB-N levels compared to control groups. This work introduces a synergistic approach to active packaging by combining natural actives with a renewable biopolymer matrix, providing a sustainable and high-performance solution for cold meat preservation. The findings highlight the potential of dual-active films to overcome limitations of single-active designs, paving the way for advanced food packaging technologies.

The black bean protein isolate (BBPI) has attracted much attention in plant-based foods due to its superior amino acid composition and health functions, but its inherent functional properties cannot meet industrial production needs. Therefore, this study combined ultrasound and transglutaminase (TGase) cross-linking, systematically characterized the structural changes through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), fluorescence spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectrometer, scanning electron microscope and other methods, and analyzed their relationship with functional properties. The results showed that ultrasound pretreatment promoted the cross-linking between TGase and BBPI, resulting in an increase in β-sheet content, enhanced fluorescence intensity, moderate unfolding of protein structure, exposure of hydrophobic groups, and an increase in surface hydrophobicity to 27.13 × 10⁴. After the ultrasonic pretreatment, protein-protein interactions increase, forming a denser microstructure, thereby improving thermal stability, and the thermal denaturation temperature rises to 108.15 ℃. The particle size of the sample decreased to 79.50 nm, and the absolute value of the zeta potential increased, thereby reducing particle settling and resulting in a decrease in turbidity to 0.088 and an increase in solubility to 38.62%. This study reveals the synergistic mechanism of ultrasound and TGase, provides a theoretical basis for the development of highly soluble BBPI powders and offers an efficient and safe protein composite modification strategy for the food industry.

The precise detection and classification of pineapples at various stages of maturity are crucial for early yield estimation in agriculture. This study presents a framework utilizing YOLOv8 for pineapple detection and ripeness classification through drone imagery. After detecting and classifying pineapples, we employ bounding box and binary mask fitting techniques, including Circle Fitting (CF), Ellipse Fitting (EF), Circle Enclosing (CE), and Rotated Rectangle (RR), to estimate pineapple size by converting pixel-based measurements to millimeters. Finally, the current research predicted the weight of the pineapples by employing linear and nonlinear models. This work used linear models such as Linear Regression, Polynomial Regression, and nonlinear-based machine learning models such as Support Vector Regressor, Decision Tree, and K-Nearest Neighbor, with pixel counts as the input parameter for predicting pineapple weight. The outcome showed that YOLOv8 outperforms other YOLO models such as YOLOv7, YOLOv11 and RT-DETR achieving 99.8% Precision, 97.7% mean average precision, and 93.1% Recall for pineapple detection. For classification, this work has compared YOLOv8 with ML techniques, the result shows that YOLOv8 achieves better precision scores of 98% for unripe, 92% for semi-ripe, and 98% for ripe. For size estimation, this work has used BB and masking techniques, where the size error between measured and estimated (pixel to millimeter) pineapples were analyzed in terms of Root Mean Square Error, Mean Average Error, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The MAPE value was below 6% for non-occluded pineapples when their size was estimated using EF and for occluded apples, it was 8% when the size was estimated using CE. The K-Nearest Neighbor model predicts pineapple weight with the highest accuracy, achieving an R² of 0.978 and RMSE of 4.12 g. In this work, we show that our integrated approach of YOLOv8-based detection and classification, binary mask-based size estimation, and machine learning-based weight prediction provides an effective framework for automated pineapple monitoring in precision agriculture.

This study examines the optimization of the antioxidant activity of Thymus serpyllum, Mentha pulegium, and Mentha piperita essential oils (EOs) and investigates the correlation between their chemical compositions and antioxidative properties, also the use of the optimal formula to preserve olive and argan oils— previously unexplored studies. Methodology: The major volatile constituents were determined by a GC-MS method, and antioxidant activities of the individual EOs, as well as their mixtures, were analyzed using a mixture design methodology. Furthermore, the efficacy of EO mixtures in mitigating oxidative deterioration in olive and argan oils during accelerated storage was evaluated. Among the tested EOs, T. serpyllum exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ of 1.99 ± 0.85 µg/ml, followed by M. piperita with an IC₅₀ equal to 2.86 ± 1.11 µg/ml. A ternary mixture composed of 39% T. serpyllum, 28% M. pulegium, and 33% M. piperita demonstrated enhanced antioxidant activity compared to the individual EOs (theoretical IC₅₀ = 1.25 ± 0.07 µg/ml, and experimental one equal to 0.98 ± 0.27 µg/ml). Positive correlations were observed between antioxidant activity and key volatile constituents, including p-cymene, thymol, carvacrol, γ-terpinene, and linalool. Moreover, the optimized EO mixture effectively inhibited oxidative rancidity in olive and argan oils, exhibiting an efficacy comparable to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The addition of the EO mixture to the olive oil delayed oxidation and we found only 7.50 ± 0.71 meq O₂/kg on day 20. This value is close to that of olive oil with BHA, where the PI increased from 3.75 ± 0.35 meq O₂/kg on day 1 to 6.00 ± 0.00 meq O₂/kg on day 20. Argan oil with added EO mixture remained almost stable throughout the storage period and the PI only increased from 3.25 ± 0.35 to 4.00 ± 0.00 meq O₂/kg. These findings underscore the potential of EOs, both individually and in combination, as natural antioxidants for food preservation. Their application may contribute to the development of more stable and health-conscious food products with enhanced consumer acceptability. However, further research is required to optimize their efficacy and address potential toxicity concerns.

Polyphenols, despite their well-established health benefits, face significant challenges in food and pharmaceutical applications due to inherent physicochemical instability and suboptimal bioavailability. Nano-encapsulation has emerged as a promising technology to overcome these challenges. This review comprehensively analyzes the formation mechanisms of polyphenol-loaded nano-systems, focusing on key interactions (hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic forces, electrostatic interactions, and π-π stacking) between polyphenols and carriers. Case studies demonstrate that nano-encapsulation enhances polyphenol stability under gastrointestinal conditions and improves bioaccessibility is generally increased by 1 to 4 times compared to free forms. Furthermore, encapsulated polyphenols exhibit superior antioxidant activity through synergistic effects with carriers. Given the growing demand for functional foods, this review also highlights the potential of polyphenolic nano-encapsulation in developing new food products with enhanced health benefits and stability.