Acta scientiarum polonorum. Technologia alimentaria最新文献

Background: Large quantities of banana peels are discarded as waste or used as cattle feed or fertilisers. Moreover, the use of banana peel waste is considered to be a valuable polysaccharide like pectin that is valued by both pharmaceutical and food industries. It is well known that pectin is a high-value functional food ingredient widely used due to its special functional properties.

Methods: Pectin was extracted from banana peel waste using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and the extraction was optimised by response surface methodology. The independent variables such as extraction temperature, sonication time and pH of a solution were used in the range of 35–45°C, 10–20 min, and 1–3, respectively.

Results: The overall optimal conditions of multiple responses were achieved at an extraction temperature of 33.12°C, sonication time of 17.12 min and pH of 3.68. Under these conditions, the predicted value of pectin yield, the degree of esterification and galacturonic acid content, were 2.62%, 88.26% and 87%, respectively. The experimental values were well correlated with the predicted values and revealed a satisfactory validation through real-time experiments, which was accomplished at optimised conditions. The physico-chemical properties of extracted pectin using optimal conditions were comparable to commercial pectin.

Conclusions: The results obtained revealed that pectin was effectively extracted from the banana peel waste using UAE, which confirmed that it has potential as a source for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Further studies should be conducted to improve the quality of pectin and explore the bioactivity potential of pectin such as antimicrobial, prebiotic and antioxidant properties.

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota is one of the most complex ecosystems in nature that are mainly comprised of bacteria and other microbes like fungi, protozoa, and viruses. More than 1000 bacterial species have been reported in the gut microbiome, of which most of these species belong to Firmicutes (31.1%), Proteobacteria (29.5%), Actinobacteria (25.9%), or Bacteroidetes (7.1%) phylum. A symbiotic relationship, which plays a critical role in host health, exists between intestinal microflora and its host. With aging, the intestinal microbiota profile changes are observed, generally characterized by the decrease in biodiversity, carriage of commensals, and enrichment of opportunistic pathogens. The dysbiosis associated with aging in the gut microbiota increases the risk of several diseases. Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” and play crucial functions in improving gut health and disease in all age groups, particularly the elderly induvial. This review focuses on the promising effects of probiotics on slowing down the aging process, treating age-related diseases, and improving the quality of life in light of the current clinical studies.

Obesity is a pandemic disease that poses a serious problem for the entire world population. Preventative and non-pharmacological treatments for obesity include changing eating habits and increasing physical activity. The use of certain dietary supplements also brings beneficial results in the process of reducing excess body weight. There are many options for the treatment of obesity available on the pharmaceutical market. This study aims to review the latest publications on selected dietary supplements in the treatment of excess body weight. Dietary supplements which support a reduction in excess body weight include capsaicin, bitter orange, white bean seeds, green coffee, berberine, and single and multi-strain probiotics. Some of these supplements have additional health benefits. Bitter orange has antioxidant and anti-ulcer properties. Berberine improves lipid metabolism and reduces blood glucose levels. Capsaicin has found application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Supplements that do not significantly reduce body weight are chitosan and vitamin D. Chitosan can reduce blood pressure, while vitamin D improves the sensitivity of tissue to insulin. An increase in body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain cancers. Dietary supplements with beneficial effects which support a reduction in excess body weight can be used in the treatment of both obesity and its complications.

Background: Food products made from red beet have aroused growing interest among consumers owing to their health qualities. The quality of food products is determined to a large extent by the ingredients they are produced from. The health properties and sensory qualities of a given product are the most important features for consumers when choosing a particular product. The triterpene saponins in red beets constitute a group of compounds which influence the sensory quality of food products from this raw material. However, neither the biological activity of nor the bitter taste caused by red beet saponins has been comprehensively described in the literature. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of saponins on the sensory quality of products which incorporate red beets.

Methods: The analysed food products were juices made from three cultivars of red beet roots. Sensory evaluation of the obtained juices and analytical sensory study of the bitter taste of saponins was carried out. The bitter taste recognition thresholds of saponins isolated from the cultivars under study were used to analyse the taste qualities of the finished products.

Results: The taste qualities of the analysed food products depended on the content of saponins in the final product. As compounds contributing to the bitter taste of red beets, saponins influenced the sensory qualities of the finished food products. In the case of saponins isolated from the analysed beet cultivars, it was found that the values of the defined thresholds of bitter taste recognition were higher than the saponin content in the juices obtained from these cultivars. As a result, the bitter features of juice are not detected due to the low content of saponins in them. This analysis was confirmed by the sensory evaluation of the juices, during which a team of selected evaluators indicated that sweet was the dominant flavour of the juices from Forono, Modana and Tytus cultivars, and that there was no clear sensation of its bitter features.

Conclusions: Based on the determined thresholds of bitter taste recognition in saponins isolated from different beet cultivars (minimum concentration causing the sensation of bitter taste in red beet) and the comparison with the total saponin content in the final product, one can conclude whether or not a given product demonstrates bitter features. The application potential of the red beet cultivars under study was indicated as regards their suitability for use in the production of foodstuffs.

Background: Overweight and obesity are associated with deaths and diseases worldwide. Cordia ecalyculata is a plant marketed as a slimmer.

Methods: The study evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the dry extract from C. ecalyculata in rats fed with a standard diet (STD) or cafeteria diet (CD) receiving the dry extract from C. ecalyculata at 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg for 40 days. Furthermore, it evaluated the slimming effect on diet-induced obese rats by the treatment with the same doses for 30 days. The bodyweight of the rats, as well as the intake of food, was measured. Blood samples were collected to determine the liver function (albumin, alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose), renal function (urea and creatinine), and lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides).

Results: The genotoxic effect in peripheral blood was assessed through the comet assay. A lower C. ecalyculata dose significantly prevented the weight gain in rats fed with STD and CD and decreased body weight and intake food of obese rats. The biochemical parameters were not altered, except to increase the serum albumin. Only the higher dose induced DNA damage when evaluated in rats fed with CD in the slimming evaluation model used.

Conclusions: These results reinforce the extract as an anti-obesity and slimming supplement.

Background: Bintangor oranges are a mandarin species that is abundant in vitamin C and beta-carotene. However, due to its short shelf life, the fresh fruit can be converted into powder form, which is comparatively more stable.

Methods: This study compares the effects of spray drying, freeze drying, drum drying, vacuum oven drying, and convection oven drying on the physicochemical properties of Bintangor orange powder, including vitamin C and total carotenoid content. The physicochemical properties analyzed for the powders were color analysis, moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, degree of caking, wettability, flowability, water solubility index, and bulk density.

Results: Our results showed that freeze dried and convection oven dried powders retained their color so that the powder was the same as the original puree. All powders used in this showed an acceptable moisture content level, with a range of 2.11–2.31%. Spray dried and drum dried powders had the lowest value of moisture content and water activity. Moreover, spray dried powders showed the lowest value in hygroscopicity and bulk density and took the shortest time to wet the powder. The highest solubility and flowability properties were 12.99%, 0.39 g/mL, 18.39 s, 96.08%, and 19.17°, respectively. However, the freeze drying method retained the highest value for both nutritional pigments of vitamin C and total carotenoid content, 18.31 mg/g and 91.32 μg/g, respectively.

Conclusions: Freeze drying is the most suitable drying method with favorable powder properties compared to spray drying, drum drying, vacuum oven drying and convection oven drying.

Background: Herbs and spices are natural ingredients that have been widely used not just as food flavouring but also for their health attributes. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer components present in them enhance the health and medical status of human beings. The present study aims to produce Labneh fortified with cardamom and bay leaf powder to enhance the quality and shelf life.

Methods: Cardamom or bay leaf powder were added separately at the ratios of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1% (w/w) to Labneh and the treatments were compared with a control without cardamom or bay leaf powder during storage (at 5 ±1°C for 40 days).

Results: The total solids, fat, ash, carbohydrate and fiber contents were insignificantly higher in Labneh containing cardamom or bay leaf powder than control. The titratable acidity of Labneh gradually increased, whereas the pH values decreased by increasing the concentration of cardamom or bay leaf powder during the storage period. No significant differences were found in any textural parameters between Labneh containing condiments and control, except for that containing 1% cardamom or bay leaf powder, which exhibited higher hardness during the storage period. Minerals, antioxidants activity (RSA%), total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC) increased with the increase of the added percentage of cardamom or bay leaf powder compared to control. Due to the stimulatory effect of cardamom and bay leaves on Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), the viability of the total bacterial count (TBC) gradually increased as the level of those condiments increased. The control became moldy after 10 days of cold storage while Labneh containing condiments remained unspoiled with yeasts and moulds for up to 30 days of cold storage. Sensory evaluation indicated that 1% addition of cardamom and 0.75% of bay leaf powder to Labneh improved quality and extends the shelf life of Labneh up to 30 days at 5 ±1°C.

Conclusions: Labneh supplemented with cardamom or bay leaf powder can be considered as a novel product with acceptable quality and extended shelf life.

Background: Microwave heating may affect some non-starch polysaccharides of cereal kernels. This microwave effect can be positive for functional properties and the final product. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to explore the effects of microwave heating on mechanical properties, malt extract yield, wort viscosity, β-glucan of wort, and soluble, insoluble, and total dietary fiber in malting and feed barley.

Methods: The barley kernels were microwave heated for 4 and 8 s and compared with a control (0 s) with no microwave irradiation treatment. The mechanical properties were measured by compressive loadings; an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy was used for kernel layers. β-glucan content in the barley kernel and wort was measured with a Mixed Linkage beta-glucan (K-BGLU Megazyme International; Wicklow, Ireland). Insoluble, soluble, and total dietary fiber was determined using 32-07 of AACC method.

Results: The thickness of barley kernel bran layers was related to the mechanical properties. The modulus of elasticity decreased after 4 s of heating but increased after 8 s. Irradiation affected non-starch polysaccharides, such as β-glucan and fiber. β-glucan decreased after 4 s as did wort viscosity. The insoluble and total dietary fiber followed the same trend as β-glucan, but the soluble fiber content increased with prolonged microwave heating.

Conclusions: A few seconds of microwave heating is enough to increase barley’s value in the brewing industry and improve health benefits due to minor changes in the biochemical grain components.