ACS food science & technology最新文献

Enzyme catalysis is important in food processing, such as in baking, dairy, and fiber processing and beverages. A recent advancement in catalysis is the development of Pickering emulsions as enzymatic catalytic systems; however, the use of Pickering emulsions (PEs) as catalytic systems in foods remains largely underdeveloped. Challenges exist that inhibit the widespread adoption of PEs as catalytic systems in foods. These limitations include the limited food-grade solid particle stabilizers, their poor dual wettability, and the potential effects of surface modifications of the solid particles on the stability and efficiency of the PEs. In this Review, the two types of PE catalysis (Pickering-assisted catalysis and Pickering interfacial catalysis), their formation, and some of their applications in the food industry are presented. In addition, the proposed solutions and strategies to improve the PE catalyst design are introduced. An outlook on how the field of PE catalysis will progress is briefly highlighted.

Enzyme catalysis is important in food processing, such as in baking, dairy, and fiber processing and beverages. A recent advancement in catalysis is the development of Pickering emulsions as enzymatic catalytic systems; however, the use of Pickering emulsions (PEs) as catalytic systems in foods remains largely underdeveloped. Challenges exist that inhibit the widespread adoption of PEs as catalytic systems in foods. These limitations include the limited food-grade solid particle stabilizers, their poor dual wettability, and the potential effects of surface modifications of the solid particles on the stability and efficiency of the PEs. In this Review, the two types of PE catalysis (Pickering-assisted catalysis and Pickering interfacial catalysis), their formation, and some of their applications in the food industry are presented. In addition, the proposed solutions and strategies to improve the PE catalyst design are introduced. An outlook on how the field of PE catalysis will progress is briefly highlighted.

Mycotoxin contamination in cereals is a global food safety concern. One of the most common mycotoxins in grains is deoxynivalenol (DON), a secondary metabolite produced by the fungiFusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum. Exposure to DON can lead to adverse health effects in both humans and animals including vomiting, dizziness, and fever. Hence, the development of analytical technologies capable of predicting mycotoxin contamination levels in grains is crucial. In this study, we emphasize innovative infrared (IR) spectroscopic technologies for the prediction of DON in wheat along the food supply chain. The performance of an IR laser spectroscopic platform for on-site or laboratory confirmative analysis was evaluated. Furthermore, the performance of a handheld IR spectrometer for preliminary screening during transportation, storage, or harvesting was assessed. The accuracy of cross validation (Acc_CV) obtained with the laser spectrometer reached 92%, while the handheld IR spectrometer achieved 84.6%. Hence, both technologies prove significant potential for rapid mycotoxin detection.

This study aims to evaluate the mold growth inhibition on raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) utilizing alginate beads with cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) essential oil (CEO). A thermogravimetric (TGA)/differential thermal analysis (DTA) of CEO alginate beads was performed to evaluate the behavior of the loaded material. Furthermore, the impact of CEO-alginate beads on berries’ sensory quality was performed. During 21 days, inoculated fruits with four molds (Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium italicum, Cladosporium cladosporioides) were exposed to beads at temperatures of 25, 15, and 4 °C. CEO-alginate beads better controlled mold growth on raspberries than on blackberries. Higher CEO concentrations and lower temperatures resulted in a longer lag phase and a lower growth probability. The thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the inclusion of CEO into the alginate matrix. The sensory quality of berries exposed to CEO-alginate beads was similar to the nonexposed. CEO-alginate beads can extend berries’ shelf life by preventing mold growth, offering a natural and safe alternative.

Mycotoxin contamination in cereals is a global food safety concern. One of the most common mycotoxins in grains is deoxynivalenol (DON), a secondary metabolite produced by the fungiFusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum. Exposure to DON can lead to adverse health effects in both humans and animals including vomiting, dizziness, and fever. Hence, the development of analytical technologies capable of predicting mycotoxin contamination levels in grains is crucial. In this study, we emphasize innovative infrared (IR) spectroscopic technologies for the prediction of DON in wheat along the food supply chain. The performance of an IR laser spectroscopic platform for on-site or laboratory confirmative analysis was evaluated. Furthermore, the performance of a handheld IR spectrometer for preliminary screening during transportation, storage, or harvesting was assessed. The accuracy of cross validation (Acc_CV) obtained with the laser spectrometer reached 92%, while the handheld IR spectrometer achieved 84.6%. Hence, both technologies prove significant potential for rapid mycotoxin detection.

In the present study, the supercritical impregnation process using carbon dioxide (scCO₂) was applied to incorporate the active compound cinnamaldehyde into PLA films, aiming to develop an innovative active food packaging solution. This approach leverages the unique properties of scCO₂ to achieve efficient incorporation of bioactive compounds. Impregnation tests were performed at a pressure of 12 MPa, a constant temperature of 40 °C, and a controlled depressurization rate of 1 MPa min^–1, ensuring optimal conditions for the process. The impact of the active compound incorporation via this cutting-edge technique on the oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of the films was thoroughly evaluated, revealing critical insights into material performance. In addition, the release kinetics of cinnamaldehyde in different food simulants were analyzed, and the partition (K_PLA/SS) and diffusion (D_Ci) coefficients were determined, providing a deeper understanding of compound migration behavior. The oxidative stability of sunflower oil under accelerated storage conditions was also assessed, demonstrating the efficacy of the impregnated films in preserving oil quality. Key findings include the observation that the impregnation process and the incorporation of cinnamaldehyde induced a notable decrease in barrier properties, attributed to the plasticizing effects of the active compound and scCO₂. Furthermore, the highest release of cinnamaldehyde was observed in simulants with higher ethanol concentrations, emphasizing the interaction between the active films and food matrices. Finally, the impregnated films significantly enhanced the oxidative stability of sunflower oil, as evidenced by lower peroxide index values, conjugated dienes, and trienes compared to control samples. These results underscore the potential of supercritical impregnation as a sustainable and efficient technology for developing advanced active food packaging materials, offering improved functionality and extended shelf life for food products.

Due to their potential to enhance the potency in the melioration of food aegis, nanoparticles (NP) with green materials have gained more interest in the area of food packaging. In the present work, active food wrappers were fabricated using an admixture Mg-ZnO (42.95 nm) with the biocomposite (BC) Cymbopogan and Zingiber officinale. The functional characteristics of active mixtures – AM (NP and BC) and their antibacterial activity were observed (Escherichia coli – 7.2 mm). GCMS analysis profiled the presence of antioxidants and antibacterial compounds. AM was embedded in a low-content polymer matrix and was analyzed for its structure, function, moisture content, solubility (S2 – 21.52%), water vapor transmission rate (S2 – 15%), and mechanical properties. The films were highly UV-protective with band gaps >4 eV and perfectly encapsulated with poly(vinyl alcohol). This bioactive film can act as a replacement for nondegradable plastics in the packaging industry and increase the shelf life of stored food products.

The goal of this research was to use supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) drying as a novel approach to generate sorghum protein concentrates with enhanced functional characteristics. Sorghum protein concentrates were extracted from white whole-grain sorghum flour and dried in two ways: freeze-drying and SC-CO₂ drying. The dried proteins were characterized for their volatile compound content, in vitro digestibility, and amino acid composition. A more porous structure was observed for the SC-CO₂-dried sorghum proteins compared with their freeze-dried counterparts. In the SC-CO₂-dried samples, the levels of alcohols, esters, and organic acids were significantly lower than those in the freeze-dried ones, whereas aldehydes were significantly higher. The SC-CO₂-dried sorghum protein showed significantly higher digestibility (47.1%) compared to the freeze-dried sorghum proteins (33.7%) upon simulated sequential oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion. The amino acid compositions of the SC-CO₂- and freeze-dried sorghum proteins were similar. Moreover, the protein-digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) values of freeze-dried and SC-CO₂-dried sorghum proteins differed significantly, with SC-CO₂-dried proteins having a higher value, considering lysine as the limiting amino acid. The developed SC-CO₂ drying approach possesses the potential to generate sorghum protein concentrates with an enhanced volatile profile and digestibility.

Sourdough fermentation using indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is one of the oldest techniques used by humanity. The selection of strains for fermentation makes this process suitable for industrial applications. Type III sourdough is obtained by dehydrating liquid sourdough, facilitating its application, storage, and transportation. This study aimed to produce type III sourdough using freeze- and spray-drying, using three selected LAB combinations. Total titratable acidity and pH were not affected by drying methods. There were significant reductions in the content of organic acids after atomization. In contrast, lyophilization preserved lactic, acetic, and propionic acids, with the first being the most abundant. The viability of LAB after the spray-drying process showed an average reduction of 2.0 log CFU g^–1, reaching less than <1.0 log CFU g^–1 after 120 days of storage. Freeze-drying was more effective, with counts of 9.0 log CFU g^–1 at the beginning and an average of 7.0 log CFU g^–1 in 120 days of storage. This study also evaluated the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of sourdough after drying, revealing the presence of compounds such as 1-pentanol, benzaldehyde, ethyl hexanoate, and 2-pentylfuran, originating from matrix fermentation and oxidation processes. Freeze-drying better preserved organic acids and the viability of LAB, despite high production costs. Spray-drying showed promise for maintaining LAB viability. Although new VOCs are generated during dough fermentation and baking, this study shows that the sourdough VOCs composition varied little between the drying methods, indicating potential applications in baking.