Annual review of food science and technology最新文献

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in intercellular communication and have the potential to serve as in vivo carriers for delivering active molecules. The biocompatibility advantages of EVs over artificial nanocarriers create new frontiers for delivering modern active molecules. Milk is a favorable source of EVs because of its high bioavailability, low immunogenicity, and commercial producibility. In this review, we analyzed the advantages of milk-derived EVs in the oral delivery of active molecules, discussed their research progress in delivering active phytoconstituents, and summarized the necessary technologies and critical unit operations required for the development of an oral delivery system based on EVs. The review aims to provide innovative ideas and fundamental quality control guidelines for developing the next-generation oral drug delivery system based on milk-derived EVs.

Elderberry, the fruit of Sambucus nigra, has become a popular inclusion in foods, beverages, supplements, and more in recent years. Although the European subspecies, S. nigra ssp. nigra, has been widely studied for its composition, particularly for phenolic and volatile profiles, other subspecies, such as the American elderberry S. nigra ssp. canadensis and the blue elderberry S. nigra ssp. cerulea, have also become contenders in the elderberry supply chain. For the first time, the composition (including micronutrients, macronutrients, organic acids, titratable acid, soluble solids, phenolic compounds, and cyanogenic glycosides) of these three subspecies of elderberry is compared, highlighting the unique qualities of each subspecies and identifying gaps in the available data on the three subspecies.

There is increasing consumer demand for alternative animal protein products that are delicious and sustainably produced to address concerns about the impacts of mass-produced meat on human and planetary health. Cultured meat has the potential to provide a source of nutritious dietary protein that both is palatable and has reduced environmental impact. However, strategies to support the production of cultured meats at the scale required for food consumption will be critical. In this review, we discuss the current challenges and opportunities of using edible scaffolds for scaling up the production of cultured meat. We provide an overview of different types of edible scaffolds, scaffold fabrication techniques, and common scaffold materials. Finally, we highlight potential advantages of using edible scaffolds to advance cultured meat production by accelerating cell growth and differentiation, providing structure to build complex 3D tissues, and enhancing the nutritional and sensory properties of cultured meat.

Many physical, social, and psychological changes occur during aging that raise the risk of developing chronic diseases, frailty, and dependency. These changes adversely affect the gut microbiota, a phenomenon known as microbe-aging. Those microbiota alterations are, in turn, associated with the development of age-related diseases. The gut microbiota is highly responsive to lifestyle and dietary changes, displaying a flexibility that also provides anactionable tool by which healthy aging can be promoted. This review covers, firstly, the main lifestyle and socioeconomic factors that modify the gut microbiota composition and function during healthy or unhealthy aging and, secondly, the advances being made in defining and promoting healthy aging, including microbiome-informed artificial intelligence tools, personalized dietary patterns, and food probiotic systems.

Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness globally. Concentration of viruses from samples is important for detection because viral contamination of foods often occurs at low levels. In general, virus concentration methods can be classified as either nonspecific, exploiting the relatively homogeneous physicochemical properties of the virus to separate/concentrate it from the sample matrix, or specific, relying on recognition elements such as antibodies to specifically capture and separate viruses from foods. Numerous nonspecific and specific techniques for virus concentration have been reported, each with its own advantages and limitations. Factors to consider can include reagent and equipment costs, time-to-result, ease of use, and potential to eliminate matrix-associated inhibitors. The purpose of this review is to survey the different foodborne virus concentration techniques and their efficacy in various food and environmental matrices as well as discuss some emerging techniques for purification and concentration of viral pathogens from food samples.

Digitalization transforms many industries, especially manufacturing, with new concepts such as Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things. However, information technology also has the potential to integrate and connect the various steps in the supply chain. For the food industry, the situation is ambivalent: It has a high level of automatization, but the potential of digitalization is so far not used today. In this review, we discuss current trends in information technology that have the potential to transform the food industry into an integrated food system. We show how this digital transformation can integrate various activities within the agri-food chain and support the idea of integrated food systems. Based on a future-use case, we derive the potential of digitalization to tackle future challenges in the food industry and present a research agenda.

Pesticides protect crops against pests, and green pesticides are referred to as effective, safe, and eco-friendly pesticides that are sustainably synthesized and manufactured (i.e., green chemistry production). Owing to their high efficacy, safety, and ecological compatibility, green pesticides have become a main direction of global pesticide research and development (R&D). Green pesticides attract attention because of their close association with the quality and safety of agricultural produce. In this review, we briefly define green pesticides and outline their significance, current registration, commercialization, and applications in China, the European Union, and the United States. Subsequently, we engage in an in-depth analysis of the impact of newly launched green pesticides on the environment and ecosystems. Finally, we focus on the potential risks of dietary exposure to green pesticides and the possible hazards of chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity. The status of and perspective on green pesticides can hopefully inspire green pesticide R&D and applications to ensure agricultural production and safeguard human and ecological health.

This review discusses fundamental concepts of fat crystallization and how various processing conditions such as crystallization temperature, cooling rate, and shear or agitation affect this process. Traditional methods used to process fats, such as the use of scraped surface heat exchangers, fractionation, and interesterification, are described. Parameters that affect fat crystallization in these systems, such as shear, crystallization temperature, type of fat, and type of process, are discussed. In addition, the use of minor components to induce or delay fat crystallization based on their chemical composition is presented. The use of novel technologies, such as high-intensity ultrasound, oleogelation, and high-pressure crystallization is also reviewed. In these cases, acoustic and high-pressure process parameters, the various types of oleogels, and the use of oleogelators of differing chemical compositions are discussed. The combination of all these techniques and future trends is also presented.

Ensuring the supply of affordable, palatable, healthy, and sustainable nutrients to feed the growing population without transgressing the planetary boundaries remains a key challenge in the food science community. A dietary transition toward low-emission, plant-based foods, with less reliance on animal agriculture, is advocated for sustainability, health, and ethical reasons. A major hurdle for mainstream adoption of plant-based foods is their poor sensorial performance, such as nonjuicy and astringent textures as well as various off-flavors. This review presents the current understanding of astringency and oral friction of plant-based foods. It focuses on plant proteins and their application in plant-based meat and dairy analogs. In addition, the latest advances in the quantitative characterization of astringency using tribology, electrochemistry, and cellular tools are covered. Finally, we examine factors influencing astringency and propose easy-to-implement colloidal strategies that may mitigate astringency issues, thereby underpinning the design of the next generation of sustainable and pleasurable plant-based foods.

Using sourdough in breadmaking can enhance bread's shelf-life and flavor compared to exclusive baker's yeast use and is believed to increase its nutritional quality and healthiness. Previous research established insight into the microbial ecology of sourdough, but the link between leavening agent use, processing, and bread quality remains elusive. However, such knowledge is key for standardization, research on the health benefits, and the definition of sourdough bread. In this systematic scoping review, we analyzed 253 studies and identified large variations in the type and amount of leavening agent, fermentation conditions, and bread quality (specific loaf volume and acidification). The interrelation between these elements and their effect on the extent of fermentation is discussed, together with issues preventing proper comparison of breadmaking procedures. With this review, we want to contribute to the dialogue concerning the definition of sourdough-type bread products and the research into the health benefits attributed to them.