Sun drying of seeds prior to storage is a common practice in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but this method is unpredictable, especially during rainy seasons. Seed longevity and survival in storage depend on seed moisture content (MC); hence, controlling MC in storage is essential. Zeolite beads are desiccants suitable for use in controlling moisture during storage. Zeolite beads have microcrystalline pore structures that bind water tightly.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of zeolite beads in affecting storage longevity and survival of maize seeds as determined by seed germination and vigor tests. The same variety of maize seeds with MCs of 15.3%, 11.3%, and 9.8% (wet basis, w.b.) were used. Zeolite beads of 15.3% water absorption capacity were added to glass jars containing 300 g of maize seeds (in triplicate) under hermetic conditions. The final seed moisture, seed germination (%), and vigor (seedling growth rate, i.e., SGR test) were conducted after storage. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, and graphs were plotted.
The MC of maize seeds at an initial 15.3% MC (w.b.) stored without zeolite beads increased to 15.8% and 16.4% (w.b.) MC after 3 and 6 months of storage, respectively. The germination percentage of these maize seeds of 15.3% (w.b.) MC stored without zeolite beads decreased linearly from 82% to 53%, while that of maize seeds of 11.3% and 9.8% (w.b.) MC stored with/without zeolite beads increased. The SGR of maize seeds of 15.3% (w.b.) MC stored without zeolite beads significantly decreased after 3 and 6 months of storage. However, the SGR of the other maize seeds at 6 months was generally high. Nonetheless, all maize seeds stored with zeolite beads reached similar low moisture levels while seed germination (%) and vigor did not diminish.
Maize seeds that had high MC were safely stored using zeolite beads. The reduction in seed moisture was not detrimental to germination (%) and vigor.
This study evaluated the impact of thermoplastic extrusion (wheat snack, WS) and cold extrusion followed by cooking (wheat pasta, WP) on phenolic compounds (PC) in two Brazilian wheat genotypes, commercially classified by gluten strength (ORS Agile, strong; ORS Vintecinco, weak). Refined wheat flour (RWF) served as a control.
Metabolomics-based UHPLC-MSE profiling annotated 45 PC, 77% in bound forms. Chemometric analysis showed that both genotype and processing markedly affected the phenolic profile. Strong wheat showed higher phenolic abundance and 14 unique PC. Processing decreased the free-to-bound PC ratio, suggesting extrusion promotes phenolic complexation. Antioxidant capacity did not correlate with relative abundance, likely due to reaction products that interfere with spectrophotometric assays. Processing reduced phenolic bioaccessibility in the weak genotype, whereas WP improved bioaccessibility of specific hydroxycinnamic acids in the strong genotype.
Extrusion changed phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and bioaccessibility of wheat products, with processing- and genotype-specific responses.
This first study using untargeted metabolomics and in vitro digestion of refined flour from Brazilian wheats shows how extrusion changes phenolic profiles and bioaccessibility. Findings reveal how extrusion affects wheat phenolics, support strategies to preserve functional properties, and show refined wheat products can retain phenolic diversity after processing.
Coix seed polyphenols (CSPs) and their potential lipid-lowering functions have been underexplored in scientific literature. The study aims to extract crude polyphenols from defatted Coix seeds using ethanol. Column chromatography was applied for further purification. After identifying and analyzing the structure and content of these polyphenols, we investigated their inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase (PL) and related enzymatic kinetics. Additionally, we assessed their lipid-lowering activity in an oleic acid-induced high-fat HepG2 cell model.
In this study, we identified over 30 phenolic compounds in Coix seeds; the compounds with the highest proportions were followed by taxifolin, paeonol, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC), (−)-secoisolariciresinol, arbutin, and cyanidin chloride, reaching 2.14%, 2.02%, 1.63%, 1.38%, 1.36%, and 1.08%, respectively. These compounds accounted for 93.09% of the total CSP. CSP demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against PL, achieving an inhibition rate of 76.8% at a concentration of 2 mg/mL. Enzymatic kinetic analysis suggested that CSP exerts a typical mixed noncompetitive inhibitory effect on PL. In HepG2 cells induced with oleic acid, supplementation with 100 μg/mL CSP significantly reduced triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels by 45.05%, 40.56%, 12.36%, 39.30%, and 28.49%, respectively (p < .05).
These findings highlight the potential of CSP as a natural lipid-lowering agent, warranting further exploration in functional foods and therapeutic applications.
China's indica rice production is upgrading to premium quality, driven by consumer demand for better taste and cooking quality. As a key sensory trait alongside flavor and texture, aroma significantly impacts consumer preference. This study systematically characterized the key aroma compounds extracted using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) methods in cooked indica rice, based on the principles of molecular sensory science.
Gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) identified 47 aroma compounds in cooked indica rice. Through quantitative analysis, odor activity value (OAV) determination, and aroma recombination/omission experiments, nine key aroma components were characterized: 2-methylbutanal, hexanal, 2-pentylfuran, nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-nonenal, (E)-2-decenal, acetoin, and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Sensory evaluation revealed seven cooked rice sensory characteristics: cooked grain, nutty, grassy, caramel, sweet, fruity, and floral. The PLSR analysis revealed that the key aroma compounds are closely correlated with sensory characteristics.
This study systematically elucidated the key aroma composition and sensory contributions of indica rice by integrating volatomics and sensory analysis.
This study identified nine key aroma compounds and seven sensory attributes in cooked indica rice, establishing their quantitative relationships to support flavor optimization and sensory quality evaluation.
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudocereal with documented benefits for human health. The macronutrient composition and phytochemical content of the grain are known to vary depending on the variety and the growing location. In this context, three varieties of quinoa seeds from the United Kingdom (UK) and Brazil (BR) were analyzed for their nutritional value and phytochemical content.
All three varieties had high protein content (Variety 1: 12.82% ± 0.08%, Variety 2: 12.79% ± 0.06%, Variety 3: 15.23% ± 0.29%) and a balanced amino acid profile. The UK varieties (1 and 2) showed higher content (p < 0.001) of insoluble fiber (mean: 5.61%) compared with the BR variety (4.34%). ICP–MS analysis indicated that all varieties were rich in manganese, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and magnesium. Of a total of 158 phytochemicals analyzed with targeted LC–MS/MS, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin were detected in the highest quantities.
Quinoa is a promising candidate crop to incorporate in the human diet and contributes toward dietary recommendations in terms of macronutrients and minerals. Varietal variations affect physical properties and seed suitability as a functional ingredient in food formulations.
Diversification of the human diet is an essential step for promoting biodiversity and ensuring sustainability of food production.
Ten commercial proteins from different botanical sources and suppliers (different processing methods) were tested for their functionality and application in cakes as an egg replacement ingredient.
Differences in protein functionality were found and attributed to both the proximate composition (e.g., the fat content in chickpeas [17.11%] compared to faba bean [0.23%] protein) and quality of the proteins. Emulsion (mung bean [100%] compared to yeast protein [52%]) and foaming (egg whites [100%] compared to pumpkin protein [75%]) stability were key functional attributes important for cake quality. In addition to functionality, batter viscosity, and protein thermo-setting properties were critical for protein–protein and starch–protein interaction during baking. Principal cluster analysis displayed mung bean protein (MGBP) as the ingredient with the closest characteristics to the cake containing egg whites (CNTRL). The Hierarchical Clustering analysis displayed four clusters that were not based on botanical sources.
The results highlight the significance of understanding both the functional properties and thermo-setting properties of the proteins. Nonetheless, it was evident that the processing of the proteins was influential on their properties, regardless of the botanical source.
Many new proteins are emerging in the market, which have not been widely investigated for their properties and food applications. This study reveals the opportunity for incorporating these proteins as egg replacements in cakes, which is especially important for creating allergen-friendly baked products.
As an appropriate amount of water is required for full gluten development, the relationships between protein and dough characteristics may be influenced by water availability. Twenty soft wheat varieties were analyzed to examine the influences of protein characteristics on the rheological properties of flour-water noodle (FWN; low water absorption) and flour-water tortilla (FWT; high water absorption) doughs.
Flour protein content and the proportion of HMW-GSs at the Glu-B1 locus showed positive relationships with the stickiness of FWN dough, while only lactic acid solvent retention capacity (SRC) showed a negative correlation with the stickiness of FWT dough. The correlations between protein characteristics and dough rupture force and stretchability were weaker in FWN dough compared to FWT dough.
Protein characteristics are positively associated with dough stickiness under low water absorption but negatively under high water absorption. The effects of protein on rupture force and stretchability appear to be more pronounced in high-absorption dough than in low-absorption dough.
The results demonstrate that the effects of protein on dough properties are dependent on water absorption, and highlight the need to redefine the role of proteins in doughs prepared with insufficient water for full gluten development.
This study investigates the synergistic effects of diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride esters (DATEM), sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL), and glycerol monostearate (GMS) on the rheological, microstructural, and qualitative properties of wheat flour dough and chapati.
Surfactant addition significantly reduced peak viscosity (1.58–1.25 Pa s) and setback viscosity (1.58–0.84 Pa s), indicating modified gelatinization and retrogradation behavior. Dough toughness (P) rose from 109.5 mm H₂O (control) to 144.5 mm H₂O (DATEM + SSL + GMS), but extensibility remained constant. SEM results indicated enhanced gluten–starch integration, resulting in a more cohesive dough structure. Chapati study revealed increased moisture content (31.82% to 36.52%), reduced hardness (13.58 to 8.76 N), lower chewiness (8.26 to 5.13 Nmm), and decreased tearing force (9.62 to 3.92 N), demonstrating improved softness and pliability.
The combination FM-5 (0.5% DATEM + 0.5% SSL + 0.5% GMS) resulted in significant improvements in dough properties and chapati quality. The findings suggest that surfactants play a crucial role in enhancing gluten–starch interactions, reducing staling effects, and improving the texture of flatbread.
This study emphasizes the potential of synergistic surfactant applications in improving wheat-based product functioning, providing insights for the food sector in optimizing formulations for better texture and stability.
Cassava leaves represent a significant waste stream in cassava cultivation, currently underutilized in both food and nonfood applications. This study investigates the use of solid-state fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bacillus subtilis to modify the composition and functional properties of cassava leaf flour (CLF), as well as to serve as a pretreatment for wet fractionation aimed at producing higher protein ingredients.
Results showed that fermentation increased the protein content of CLF while reducing anti-nutritional compounds. Fermentation had no significant effect on water-holding capacity or protein digestibility, but it increased oil-holding capacity and decreased solubility. Alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation was applied to extract proteins from the fermented CLF; however, fermentation did not improve protein availability, as evidenced by the lower protein purity of the concentrates when compared to non-fermented samples. Nevertheless, the functional properties of the protein concentrates obtained from the fermented cassava leaves were improved, demonstrating a positive effect of fermentation on the extracted protein's techno-functional potential.
Overall, fermentation increased the protein content of CLF, reduced anti-nutritional compounds, and enhanced the functional properties of the extracted protein.
These findings suggest that fermentation of cassava leaf flour represents a viable biotechnological strategy for sustainable food industry applications, contributing to the development of more sustainable food supply chains.
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