Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)最新文献

Among the fruit species of the Brazilian cerrado is pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.), recognized for its nutritional properties and profile of bioactive compounds. However, it is necessary to evaluate techniques that promote its stability, reducing the moisture content without degrading the content of natural antioxidants. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the drying of pequi pulp in an oven at different temperatures (40 °C and 55 °C), as well as determine its kinetics and influence on the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. The increase in temperature showed a reduction (∼50 %) of the drying time, from 720 min (40 °C) to 360 min (55 °C), with a final moisture content of approximately 39 %, which is the optimized condition of the process. (360 min - 55 °C). Drying at 55 °C showed better retention of carotenoids (β-carotene, α-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin), especially β-carotene, an important precursor of vitamin A, with retention of approximately 57 %. The results for antioxidant capacity (ABTS and DPPH), total phenolic compounds, total phenolic acids and total flavonoids confirmed that a longer drying time resulted in greater degradation of bioactive compounds, even at lower temperatures. The profile of phenolic compounds of the sample subjected to drying under optimized conditions was identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSⁿ, which showed the presence of six phenolic acids, one isoprenoid plant hormone, nine flavonols, and one flavonoid. Optimizing pequi pulp drying in ovens, and controlling time and temperature, can significantly reduce energy expenditure. This practice not only meets the demands of the food industry but also increases the use of fruits from the cerrado, promoting the diversification and valorization of these products.

The dynamic changes in physicochemical properties, microbial communities, and volatile compounds in kombucha made from Flos sophorae (FLSK) and Elm fruit (EFK) were compared to those of black tea (BTK) and green tea (GTK) over a 12-day fermentation period. The results revealed that overall flavonoid and polyphenol content, as well as antioxidant activity, increased initially and then decreased, accompanied by a steady reduction in pH within the fermentation broths investigated. Notably, the GTK exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the other fermentation broths. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that Komagataeibacter rhaeticus, Komagataeibacter saccharivorans, and Acidovorax wautersii were the dominating microbial species in the fermentation broths under this study. Komagataeibacter rhaeticus initially reduced and then increased throughout the FLSK fermentation, whereas Komagataeibacter saccharivorans increased from day 0 to day 6, and remain stable by day 12 during the EFK fermentation. Comparative analysis revealed that Komagataeibacter rhaeticus was more abundant in the FLSK and GTK than in the EFK and BTK, whereas Komagataeibacter saccharivorans showed a higher abundance in the EFK relative to the other fermentation broths. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified acetic acid, linalool, ethanol, and ethyl acetate as the major volatile chemicals that rose significantly in fermentation mixtures of the examined substrates. The FLSK had a much higher linalool concentration than the other fermentation broths, although the EFK and GTK had higher ethanol content. Correlation study found that Komagataeibacter rhaeticus was negatively related with alcohol compounds, but Komagataeibacter saccharivorans was positively associated with a diverse spectrum of acids, alcohols, and esters. The study found changes in bioactive chemicals as well as interactions between bacterial populations and volatile compounds throughout fermentation in the substrates investigated.

Hydrogel microspheres are promising for food applications. The water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion template is commonly used to prepare the hydrogel microspheres. However, this method often involves synthetic surfactants and toxic organic solvents to remove the oil phase. The swelling problem of the resultant microspheres is another obstacle. In this study the water-in-water (W/W) emulsion template of gelatin-in-dextran was used to prepare the hydrogel microspheres, without the addition of surfactants, toxic reagents and high energy input. To prevent swelling, zein particles modified with alginate were served as a hydrophobic shell of the gelatin core. The formation evolution of these core-shell microspheres and its relevant factors including phase behavior of the immiscible gelatin/dextran, the binding of zein/alginate and the addition of the modified zein particles were investigated. It was found that small amount of alginate could induce zein particles to adsorb on the gelatin surface, whereas the excess led to adsorption competition. When using 0.6 wt% particles with zein/alginate ratio of 1:0.5, the ideal core-shell microspheres which were fully covered by the particles and with a self-supporting architecture in uniform size (18.8 ± 0.1 μm) and spherical shape were obtained. These microspheres showed remarkable stability under the conditions of heat treatment, varied pHs and salt concentrations and long-term storage either in refrigerator or room environment. Their sizes were easily manipulated by adjusting the concentration and molar mass of the biopolymers. It is believed that the desired stability and tunable sizes of these edible core-shell microspheres could contribute the development of their applications in foods.

Glutenin macropolymer (GMP) plays an important role in wheat gluten fractions, and extensively presents in the frozen dough. However, the effects of freezing treatment on GMP remain not abundantly understood. In this study, we investigated the structure and physico-chemical properties of GMP under frozen storage through experimental methods and bioinformatics algorithms. Results revealed that freezing treatment weakened the structure and properties of GMP to varying degrees, and GMP might have tolerance to short-term freezing storage. During frozen storage, portions of α-helix in GMP were converted into β-turn and random coil, slight changes in the tertiary structure, and its surface hydrophobicity increased by 4.8 %. SDS-PAGE profiles indicated that the depolymerization behavior mainly occurred above the Mw of 70.0 kDa. Slight changes were observed in the content of free thiol groups and disulfide bonds during frozen storage. Combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and intermolecular interactions suggested that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions were probably important indicators for evaluating the deterioration of GMP. Frozen storage resulted in an unfolded and open protein network. Moreover, freezing treatment led to a main conversion from strongly bond water to weakly bond water. However, no significant changes in water distribution were observed during the first 7 days of frozen storage. The viscoelastic loss of GMP primarily occurred in the first fourteen days, but tan δ did not significantly increased, indicating that protein has not been seriously deteriorated. Molecular dynamics simulation further supplemented and validated these experimental results from molecular level through analysis of root mean square deviation, root mean square fluctuation, solvent-accessible surface area, radius of gyration and the number of hydrogen bonds.

Lotus rhizome soup, renowned as a unique delicacy made from lotus rhizome, is cherished by many consumers. However, the varying colors of soup are sure to influence individuals' appetites. This research focused on the Miancheng lotus Rhizome (MLR) and Elian No. 6 lotus rhizome (ELR) to investigate the relationship between the variations in polyphenols, organic acids and iron levels in MLR and ELR soups during the cooking process. The findings indicated that cooking MLR for 12 min resulted in a red soup with a* value of 8.65 ± 0.12, whereas the soup made from ELR remained white with a* value of 3.43 ± 0.08. The correlation analysis results indicated that polyphenols, specifically epigallocatechin (0.0169 ± 0.00029 μg/100 mL FW after cooking for 12 min) and epicatechin (0.0211 ± 0.00047 μg/100 mL FW after cooking for 12 min), exhibited a significant positive relationship with a* (p < 0.05). Moreover, lowering the pH, removing polyphenols and incorporating metal-chelating agents can also prevent the development of red pigment. The analysis from HPLC-MS, UV-Vis, FT-IR spectra and ESI-Q-TOF-MS indicated that the development of the red soup color involved i) the generation of epicatechin gallate through the enantiomeric reaction of epigallocatechin, ii) the co-chromic red interaction between anthocyanin cations and catechol structures, and iii) the formation of polyphenol oligomers (i.e., procyanidin A2, (+)-procyanidin B2, procyanidin C1 and prodelphinidin B4) due to heating, while the creation of phenol-iron chelates could inhibit the development of red coloration. In sum, this research introduces a new idea for managing the color of lotus rhizome soup and similar soup products.

Microalgae are promising sources of intracellular metabolites such as proteins, polysaccharides, pigments, and lipids. Thus, this study applied high-pressure homogenization (HPH) techniques on a pilot scale to disrupt the cells of Tetradesmus obliquus. The effects of pressure (P; 150, 250, and 350 bar), suspension concentration (Cs; 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 % w/v), and number of cycles (Nc; 5, 15, and 25) were evaluated in HPH via a Box-Behnken experimental design. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the recovery rate (dTr) of pigments and lipids. The specific energy consumption (SEC) and color change gradient (ΔE) of the biomass during HPH were also assessed. The optimal HPH conditions for pigment extraction with 1.5 % Cs (w/v) were as follows: P = 312 bar and Nc = 22 for chlorophyll-a (0.83 g/100 g; dTr = 69 %; SEC = 47.50 kJ/g dry matter); P = 345 bar and Nc = 24 for chlorophyll-b (0.63 g/100 g; dTr = 80 %; SEC = 57.30 kJ/g dry matter); P = 345 bar and Nc = 24 for total carotenoids (0.53 g/100 g; dTr = 79 %; SEC = 54.12 kJ/g dry matter); and P = 350 bar and Nc = 25 for β-carotene (299 µg/g; dTr = 58 %; SEC = 62.08 kJ/g dry matter). The optimal HPH conditions for lipid extraction were P = 350 bar and Nc = 23, with a lipid recovery rate of ≥28 %. Cell disruption during HPH caused a change in the color of the biomass (ΔE) due to the release of intracellular biocompounds. Increasing P and Nc led to higher SECs, ΔE gradients, and pigment and lipid contents. Thus, the levels of recovered pigments and lipids can be indicators of cell disruption in T. obliquus.

The prevention of coffee fraud through the use of digital and intelligence-based technologies is an analytical challenge because depending on the adulterant, visual inspection is unreliable in roasted and ground coffee due to the similarity in color and texture of the materials used. In this work, a 3D-printed apparatus for smartphone image acquisiton is proposed. The digital images are used to authenticate the geographical origin of indigenous canephora coffees produced at Amazon region, Brazil, against canephora coffees from Espírito Santo, Brazil, and to capture the adulteration of indigenous samples. The results evidenced that the technology is favorable to identify the geographical origin and adulteration with multiple substances using smartphone technology. Pure coffees were adulterated with arabica coffee, spent coffee ground, low-quality Canephora coffee, coffee husks, açaí, corn, and soybean in increasing proportions of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 %. These adulterants were roasted and grounded similarly to Canephora coffees to mimetize a highly-sophisticated fraud. The images were converted into Red-Green-Blue (RGB) fingerprinting and used as analytical response to construct Data-Driven Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (DD-SIMCA) models. A total of 95 % of all target and non-target samples in the test set were correctely identified, aiding producers and consumers in ensuring accurate labeling and supporting traditional communities economically and culturally. Smartphone-based method demonstrated potential to innovate the coffee safety control representing a new analytical tecnology.

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of whey protein isolate (WPI)-galacto-oligosaccharide conjugates following dynamic high-pressure microfluidics pretreatment (DHPM) in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice. DHPM facilitated the conjugation of WPI and galacto-oligosaccharide, and inhibited the generation of fluorescent advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and pentosidine. The conjugates demonstrated a significant immune recovery effect on CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice, as evidenced by the enhancement of IgG antibody levels (from 3.5 to 4.1) and the reduction of the levels of immunosuppressive effector factors TGF-β (from 148.1 to 111.2) and IFN-γ (from 34.4 to 17.9). Furthermore, the conjugates exhibited a notable ability to repair histological lesion in the spleen of CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. Spleen transcriptomics revealed that the Marco, Klrc3 and Cd209b genes were associated with the immune enhancement activity of the conjugates. Metabolomic analysis identified arginine biosynthesis, sphingolipid metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis as key pathways in the immune enhancement activity of the conjugates. Metabolomics combined with transcriptomics indicated the importance of macrophage activation in the restoration of immunosuppressed mice's immunity by the conjugates. Therefore, the improvement in immunity observed with WPI-galacto-oligosaccharide conjugates may be related to the activation of macrophages.

Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) are a promising and sustainable alternative to obtain proteins. Due to their high growth rate and ability to use different substrates as feeding stocks, BSFL can be also used to valorize food waste. Thus, the aim of this research was to unravel the potential use of Spent Coffee Grounds (SCG) and blood meal alone or mixed as feedstocks for BSFL and the nutritional changes for BSFL meal, especially after simulated human in vitro digestion and fermentation. Chicken feed was used as a control. Chicken feed showed the highest BSFL growth (P < 0.05) compared with blood meal and the mix made of blood meal and SCG; the latter caused the lowest growth. The meal obtained from BSFL fed with blood meal had the highest protein content, as well as the highest levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced after in vitro fermentation by the human gut microbiota. On the other hand, the meal from larvae fed with SCG showed higher antioxidant capacity than the others in the DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays. The digestibility of macronutrients, release of antioxidant capacity and production of SCFAs of the BSFL meal were improved when using these substrates, compared to chicken feed.

This study investigates the comprehensive effects of extraction parameters, freeze-drying, and formulation on the chemical composition, colour properties, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of blackberry (BB) and elderberry (EB) extracts, as well as their incorporation into gummies. Using response surface methodology, optimal extraction conditions were identified: BB extracts showed optimal results at 325 W and 7.5 min, while EB extracts were optimal at 400 W and 5 min. The EB extracts consistently exhibited higher total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant capacity than the BB extracts. Over 120 min, BB extracts demonstrated superior antioxidant potential to mitigate human plasma lipid oxidation. Both extracts displayed pH-dependent colour variations and antioxidant capacities, with EB extracts showing greater stability across a broader pH range. Freeze-drying effectively preserved antioxidant capacity, with EB extracts maintaining higher values than BB extracts. In a cellular model of oxidative stress using THP-1, both extracts were non-cytotoxic and reduced intracellular ROS generation, with EB extracts also more effectively inhibiting IL-6 secretion. When incorporated into gummies, these extracts resulted in higher phenolic and anthocyanin content than commercial counterparts, with EB gummies demonstrating superior antioxidant capacity. Sensory evaluations indicated no significant differences in taste, texture, or overall acceptability among the gummy formulations, though colour preferences tended to favour commercial gummies. This study addresses a gap by providing detailed chemical, biological, and sensory assessments of BB and EB extracts in food applications.