ACS food science & technology最新文献

Protein gels are gaining much interest due to their wide range of functional properties like bioactive compound encapsulation (nutraceuticals), packaging film formation, and recently plant protein gels have also been researched for their differential functionalities to be used as an alternative for dairy and dairy-based products. The functionality of the gels is limited due to different factors such as the source of extraction and various physical conditions in which gels are prepared. Novel nonthermal technologies like moderate electric field (MEF) will help to improve the structure, aggregation, and gelation properties and provide gels with distinctive behavior suitable for specific applications in food processing and packaging sectors. This review discusses the basics of MEF and its effect on different animal and plant protein gels. In addition, the applications of the MEF-treated gels are included in this review. Furthermore, this review gives insights into conventional and novel gel sources and the gel formation process. Though there is various research conducted on the MEF effect on protein gels, the exact effect of MEF is not yet understood clearly. Further research needs to be conducted to understand the specific effects.

Banana leaves (BLs), renowned for their cultural significance and culinary versatility, serve as indispensable wrappers for food items across tropical and subtropical regions. However, preserving their freshness presents a challenge due to their perishable nature, and traditional preservation methods have limitations. Prompted by this, the studies explore sustainable active packaging solutions to enhance the shelf life of banana leaves. Employing a comprehensive methodology involving sample selection, screening, and testing of packaging materials, and active packing processes, the study evaluates changes in moisture content, water activity, weight loss, pH, colorimetric analysis, and sensory evaluation. With the experimental results, BLs were packed in LDPE pouches with a water vapor transmission rate of 5.476 g/m²/day and an oxygen transmission rate of 140.569 cc/m²/day. Additionally, the BLs were treated with an ethylene scavenger sachet, resulting in treated samples. Storage conditions were maintained at 27 ± 2 °C with 65 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). Analysis revealed that control samples exhibited deteriorating quality parameters after 5 ± 1 days, while treated samples maintained quality for 10 ± 1 days under the same conditions, effectively extending the shelf life of BLs by 2-fold. Treated samples showed maintained moisture content, water activity, chlorophyll, pH, and color values compared to controls. The results demonstrate promising outcomes in prolonging the shelf life of banana leaves through sustainable active packaging, underscoring the potential of these solutions to preserve their quality while minimizing environmental impact. This study emphasizes the significance of sustainable packaging innovations in upholding cultural traditions and advancing environmental sustainability and increasing the value in the food industry both domestically and in export markets.

Natural food packaging methods have been developed to overcome the reliance on plastic packaging and align with sustainable development goals (SDGs), and it is necessary to develop biodegradable packaging. Starch is an alternative natural packaging material with numerous excellent properties. In this review, we focus on starch as a material for the development of biodegradable active packaging. However, the method still has significant limitations, and active studies are ongoing to unravel new and improved starch-based packaging strategies. Integrating active starch-based methods with emerging technologies in food packaging reduces adverse effects on the environment. In this review, we first introduce the role of emerging technologies, such as cold plasma, high-pressure processing (HPP), ultrasound, and pulsed electric field (PEF), in improving the properties of starch-based active packaging. These emerging technologies have enhanced the optical, physical, and thermal properties of starch-based active packaging. An up-to-date review explaining the potential of starch-based packaging, the use of emerging technologies in its preparation, and the application of this packaging in plant- and animal-based products is thoroughly discussed. The meta-analysis reported in this study can be used to address the challenges and applications of starch-based packaging in the future.

This study investigated the impact of high-level replacement (from 2.5% to 10%) of dietary pea fiber (PF), insoluble wheat straw fiber (IWF), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) on wheat flour dough characteristics. IWF included 92.96% cellulose, whereas hemicellulose comprised the majority of PF’s insoluble fibers (38.12%), followed by CMC (28.90%). FTIR data from lyophilized enriched dough samples showed that PF and IWF interacted with gluten proteins, improving gluten network structuration, but the CMC hindered it. Furthermore, FTIR data showed that the addition of IWF induced partial gluten dehydration. Doughs with a high DF content showed higher water absorption and resistance to extension but lower extensibility than the control. Dynamic rheology demonstrated that PF and IWF raised the elastic and viscous moduli while decreasing the loss factor, whereas CMC had the reverse effect, supporting structural results. TGA data indicated that CMC reduced the dough thermal stability by destroying the gluten network but IWF and PF increased it. The results revealed that PF and IWF, when added to wheat flour dough, interacted with gluten proteins, enhancing the dough’s quality for baking applications. Conversely, the CMC degraded the dough by preventing the formation of the gluten network.

This study aims to investigate the stability of soybean oil (SO) using natural antioxidants─specifically inherent and added tocopherols, alongside carnosic acid and carnosol from rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) acetone extracts. By employing a series of selective oxidation assays, we determined that the strongest synergistic effect of the antioxidant combination was achieved with a 1.5:1 ratio of tocopherol to carnosic acid plus carnosol. Furthermore, this combination was tested in SO, as evidenced by various metrics such as the induction period (IP) value, peroxide value (PV), free fatty acids (FFA), kinetic parameters, and antioxidant depletion tracking. The findings highlight the potential of natural antioxidants as a viable strategy for food preservation, emphasizing their bioavailability and overall benefits. The kinetic changes of antioxidants during thermal oxidation in soybean oil revealed that their interaction involved the regeneration of tocopherol by carnosic acid, which degrades into a carnosol.

Replacing the animal fat in meat products, such as emulsified sausages, has garnered considerable attention due to the pursuit of improved nutritional profiles. In the present study, we aimed to develop capillary protein oleogels from high α-linolenic acid (ALA) flaxseed oil, wherein attractive protein particles exhibit behavior similar to that of natural fat crystal fractal flocs, and to investigate the possibility of replacing pork back fat in Bologna sausages by assessing technological, microstructural, nutritional profiles, and lipid oxidation stability. Our results indicate that incorporating the oleogel led to a notable increase in the protein content of reformulated sausages as well as improvement in the fatty acid profile, offering a promising avenue for improving the overall nutritional quality of sausages. Specifically, partial replacement of fat by up to 50% (CO50) using capillary protein oleogel yielded similar technological quality attributes and microstructural characteristics compared with the control sample (PF) made with pork back fat. Furthermore, these reformulated sausages (CO50) exhibited significant lipid oxidative stability, evidenced by a low peroxide value (POV) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content after 30 days of storage. These findings underscore the potential of ALA-rich capillary oleogels as effective fat substitutes in meat products, providing a pathway to produce healthier alternatives.