Journal of Food Processing and Preservation

This study evaluated the change in the carotenoid content and colorimetric properties of the pumpkin flower (Cucurbita maxima) in convective drying. Three factors were studied: drying temperature (45, 50, and 55°C), airflow (0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m/s), and shape of the flower (whole, half, and petals). The initial lightness value of 64.38 tends to decrease with drying temperature and time; however, the lightness increases as the pumpkin flower shape passes from the petals to the whole shape because of the high moisture content. During drying, the a and b parameters ranged from 16.61 to 30.03 and 34.61 to 61.46, respectively. An increment in a value indicates that the pumpkin flower tends to be redder, and the increase in b values indicates a yellow color movement. The hue angle increased when the airflow goes from 0.3 to 0.9 m/s and when the drying temperature increased from 50 to 55°C; therefore, the pumpkin flower tended to be more yellow when the drying temperature passed from 50 to 55°C. The best properties of pumpkin flowers were obtained during the drying process at a temperature ranging from 50 to 55°C. At this temperature range, moisture content was around 3.11% to 10.2% and water activity was from 0.225 to 0.334, respectively. It was also noted that drying at higher temperatures leads to loss of color and carotenoid content because of the presence of heat-sensitive molecules, which is also why low drying temperature is used in this process.

The aim of this study was to detect the electrochemical characteristics of rice leaves under low-temperature stress. This study uses the electrical impedance graph method and the electrolyte exostosis method under the condition of low-temperature cold case study in the seedling stage of rice leaves, with a normal seedling stage of rice crops grown as controls. The shape of the electrical impedance map of rice leaves under low-temperature stress and its change with the increase of low-temperature stress were studied, and the change trend of electrical impedance map parameters with the increase of low-temperature stress was statistically analyzed. At the same time, the two detection methods are discussed to establish the correlation. The results showed that the electrical impedance pattern was a complete, symmetrical, single half arc with rice leaves subjected to reversible damage. The left side of the arc starts to disappear with an irreversible injury. Rice tended to die when the arc on the right side of the impedance spectrum began to scatter. Moreover, the change in the electrical impedance spectrum was consistent with that of relative conductivity. When the rice was not dead, the extracellular resistance and relaxation time of leaves decreased with the increase of stress degree, and intracellular resistance increased. Indicating the electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) can be employed as a nondestructive testing method to detect physiological characteristics of rice leaves under low-temperature stress.

Jiang-flavor Daqu is the starter used in the production of Jiangxiangxing Baijiu, as it is the primary source of microorganisms. The production of Jiangxiangxing Baijiu heavily relies on the use of Jiang-flavor Daqu, wherein the quality of the latter is intricately associated with the surrounding environment during the Daqu-making process. The objective of this study was to investigate the evolution pattern of microbial communities in the Daqu-making environment as the Daqu room application period increased and determine their role in shaping Jiang-flavor Daqu microbial communities. There was a certain level of overlap observed in the dominant microbial genera between the Daqu-making environment of Jiang-flavor Daqu and Jiang-flavor Daqu itself. Consequently, this may explain the close relationship observed in both bacterial life activities. And there was also a strong correlation between the ground and air fungal communities in the Daqu-making house during various usage periods. Furthermore, the composition of microbial communities in the air, the composition of microbial communities in the ground, the bacterial function in the air, and the bacterial function in the ground displayed varying degrees of similarity. However, it is worth noting that the microbial community structure undergoes changes with the gradual increase in the usage time of the fermentation chamber, leading to differences in microbial markers between various fermentation chambers. Most importantly, the quantity of bacteria, molds, and yeasts in the production environment during the initial use stage of the Daqu room was generally advantageous. Additionally, the microbial community in Jiang-flavor Daqu primarily originates from the initial production environment in the Daqu room. The study demonstrated that the microbial community structure in the Daqu room during the early stage significantly contributes to the formation of the microbial community structure in Jiang-flavor Daqu. These findings provide novel insights for improving the quality of Jiang-flavor Daqu.

Currently, a limited understanding of how packaging and storage conditions affect product quality is a major factor contributing to the short shelf life of seasoning powder products. To address this problem, the objective of this study was to explore the impact of four types of packaging and different temperature conditions (ranging from 5 to 45°C) during 110 days of storage on product quality, specifically the moisture content, astaxanthin content, and total aerobic microbial count. The packaging materials investigated included aluminum film-coated polyethylene bags (Al/PE bag), kraft paper-coated polyethylene bags (PE/kraft paper bag), polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottle), and glass bottles. Kinetic models of degradation astaxanthin, moisture absorption, and aerobic microbial growth were developed. The results indicated that PET bottles were the most effective packaging material to maintain the moisture content and astaxanthin levels. Furthermore, temperatures between 5 and 15°C were found to be optimal for the preservation of astaxanthin content, the stabilization of moisture content, and the inhibition of microbial growth. At the same time, first-order, Peleg, and Gompertz models are suitable for describing the mechanism of transformation for astaxanthin, moisture, and microbial aerobic growth with a value of R2>0.9. These findings provide valuable information for selecting the appropriate packaging and storage conditions that can extend the shelf life of seasoning powder products.

Oxidation reactions negatively impact the taste and shelf life of the oils. Antioxidants are commonly employed to mitigate the development of off-flavors and rancidity and thereby extend the shelf life of oil. In response to consumers’ increasing demand for healthy foods, there is a notable focus on incorporating naturally sourced antioxidants. Yarrow plant is a good source of natural antioxidants which could be used in improving the quality of the oils. Therefore, in this study, adaptive ANFIS was employed to investigate the extraction of antioxidant compounds from the yarrow plant using the pulsed electric field-ultrasound method. The extraction process was performed at varying pulsed electric field intensities (0.25, 3.25, and 6.25 kV/cm) and different ultrasound durations (20, 40, and 60 minutes). Then, the impact of incorporating the plant extract on the oxidation parameters of sesame oil was assessed during storage. Results demonstrated that the extraction efficiency consistently increased with rising pulsed electric field intensity and ultrasound treatment time. However, the levels of total phenol, DPPH, and ascorbic acid content initially increased and then decreased at higher pulsed electric field intensity during longer ultrasound treatment. Furthermore, an increase in acidity and thiobarbituric acid index was found during prolonged storage time, while the peroxide level in the samples peaked on the 5th day of storage before declining. The high correlation coefficients between experimental results and model outputs underscored the models’ accuracy, representing their efficacy in controlling the extraction conditions using the pulsed electric field intensity-ultrasound extraction method and utilizing the extract in sesame oil.

The search for a new antibiotic or antifungal that could function efficiently without side effects or inadequacies was always a dilemma. For centuries, mushrooms have been praised for their medicinal powers. Recent studies show that many mushroom species possess antimicrobial compounds that inhibit or kill bacteria, fungi, and other microbes. These studies attributed the antimicrobial potency of mushrooms to the presence of active compounds called phytochemicals. Mushrooms have been found to contain an abundance of phytochemicals such as phenolics, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, saponins, and polysaccharides. These compounds can inhibit cell wall synthesis and disrupt membrane permeability or redox balance. This review highlights the current knowledge about the phytochemical content of mushrooms, their antimicrobial properties, and some extraction strategies. The antimicrobial effects of various microorganisms, such as foodborne pathogens, drug-resistant bacteria, and fungi, are discussed. Critical limitations in using mushrooms as antimicrobial sources include safety risks from toxins, variability in compound potency between species, extraction and purification challenges, inconsistent yields, scalability issues, and regulatory hurdles for commercial applications. Overall, this article shows that mushrooms are prosperous of various antimicrobial compounds that can benefit human health.

The following reports on the efficacy of a gas-phase hydroxyl radical-based process for decontaminating shredded lettuce on a laboratory and simulated commercial scale. The process is based on the ultraviolet light at 254 nm UV-C-mediated degradation of hydrogen peroxide mist and ozone gas to generate antimicrobial hydroxyl radicals. Escherichia coli K12 was applied as a surrogate for E. coli O157:H7, and at laboratory scale, the hydroxyl-radical process (1.5% vol/vol H2O2 delivered at 40 ml/min, UV-C dose 114 mJ/cm², 20 ppm ozone, 29°C chamber temperature, and 30 s residence time) could support a 1.63±0.61 log CFU reduction. This is compared to the 0.57±0.18 log CFU reduction obtained for a chlorine-based wash. In scale-up, batches (2-10 kg) of E. coli inoculated romaine lettuce were passed through sequential hydroxyl-radical reactors. Here, the units were elevated to create a cascade effect, with the hydrogen peroxide mist being introduced as an intermister between the reactors. It was found that the three units placed in sequence with intermisters supported a 2.05±0.10 log CFU reduction of E. coli, thereby verifying that homogenous treatment had been achieved. Additional trials operated the hydroxyl-radical process at 4°C without loss of performance. The hydroxyl-radical process was not negatively affected by applying a pretreatment wash. The study has demonstrated that the hydroxyl-radical process can be applied as an alternative to postharvest wash to enhance the food safety of romaine lettuce.

The wet market poultry processing is a concern of spreading microbial pathogens into the environment or to the products. So, this study evaluated the microbiological contamination in poultry settings, i.e., slaughter and processing lines of wet market poultry shops, and the use of nonchlorine sanitizer to improve the sanitation. Swab samples from inner drum surfaces, defeathering machine inner surfaces, knife surfaces and workers’ hands, drum’s water, feather/carcass, and debris were collected, and their microbiological quality was determined. Most of the samples including workers’ hand surfaces were heavily contaminated with coliform, fecal coliform (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp.), E. coli, Salmonella enterica, and yeast and mold. The antibiotic sensitivity/resistivity test showed that E. coli was resistant to 9 antibiotics, K. pneumoniae to 8 antibiotics, S. enterica to 5 antibiotics, and Enterobacter spp. to 4 antibiotics, which were found common to all the bacterial isolates against 11 antibiotics. Additionally, in comparison to hot water washing, nonchlorine sanitizer (0.01% calcinated calcium from scallop or eggshell source) was found to effectively reduce pathogens from the surfaces of wet market poultry slaughter and processing lines. Hence, the use of nonchlorine sanitizer could be a novel practice to improve the hygiene and safety status of wet market poultry slaughterhouses and processing environment as well as reduce occupational hazard associated with poultry processing.

Red pepper is a valuable ingredient known for its abundance of vitamins and antioxidants. But, it usually needs to be dried for longer preservation. Hence, this research is aimed at examining the drying kinetics and quality attributes of dried red peppers utilizing various solar drying methods, in comparison with traditional open sun drying (OSD) and industrial laboratory thin layer dryers (LTLD). Analysis parameters employed include determining moisture content, measuring color properties, evaluating antioxidant capacity, analyzing capsaicinoid content, and assessing microbial presence. The drying process took place in a sunny environment with fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity as evidence of the dynamic conditions experienced within the solar dryers. It was observed that the logarithmic model was the most accurate in predicting moisture ratio over time, estimating a drying time of 25 hours to achieve 10% moisture content. The result demonstrated that direct solar dryers (DSD), indirect solar dryers (ISD), and mix mode solar dryers (MMSD) methods showed moderate changes in color parameters, with average ΔL∗, Δa∗, and Δb∗ values of -5.08, -23.71, and -13.62, respectively. The average overall color difference (ΔE) for these methods was 27.96. In addition, after comparing it to the LTLD method, which showed the highest content of phenolic compounds at 47.89%, MMSD displayed a slightly lower content of 44.71%. Similarly, MMSD exhibited higher levels of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power, measuring at 44.22% and 1163.75 μmol Fe²⁺/L, respectively. The capsaicin content remained relatively consistent across all drying methods, with MMSD, DSD, and LTLD demonstrating similar levels of approximately 31 mg/g. Although MMSD had slightly higher mold and yeast counts compared to LTLD, ISD, and DSD, it remained lower than OSD (less than 0.56 log10cfu/g). Furthermore, MMSD showed a lower total microbial count in comparison to other drying methods. These findings suggest that MMSD shows promise as a drying technique for preserving the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the dried product.

Determination of drying characteristics of ripe and unripe bitter melon in an infrared dryer at 50, 60, and 70°C with airborne ultrasonic pretreatment with a power of 20 kW for 0, 10, and 20 minutes and a frequency of 20 kHz is the purpose of this study. At the end of drying, among the five used models that fit the moisture ratio data, the Midilli and logarithmic models were selected to properly characterize the drying behavior in the infrared dryer with ultrasonic pretreatment of ripe and unripe bitter melon samples. Moisture transfer from bitter melon samples’ ripeness and early maturity was defined using Fick’s diffusion equation. Then, the Arrhenius equation was utilized to determine the effective moisture diffusivity. Also, the activation energy of unripe and ripe bitter melon slices was reduced with the enhancement in the ultrasound pretreatment time. Water activity (aw) amounts of ripe and unripe bitter melon were achieved at various drying temperatures and ultrasound pretreatment. The trends of the experiment indicate a decrease in enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) amounts of bitter melon with enhancing temperature and ultrasonic. The Gibbs free energy (ΔG) increases with enhancing drying temperature and ultrasonic pretreatment. Specific energy consumption decreased with enhancing drying temperature and ultrasound pretreatment duration for both ripe and unripe bitter melon samples.

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of oven, microwave (MW), and infrared (IR) drying technology on the drying kinetics, physicochemical properties, and β-carotene retention of the dried orange-fleshed sweet potato flour (OFSP). Fresh OFSP slices were dried in an oven (40°C), MW (80 W), IR (250 W), MW-IR (80 W+250 W), and freeze-drying (-45°C, 100 kPa) and milled into flour. Hot air at a constant temperature was applied to all thermal drying technologies (40°C, 4.5 m/s air velocity). The drying rate of the MW-IR drying method was the fastest (45 min), followed by MW (60 min), IR (120 min), and oven (180 min). The Page model was most suitable for the oven-drying method, the Lewis model for IR drying, and Henderson and Pabis for IR and Logarithmic for the MW-IR method. The pasting and thermal properties of the flours were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the different drying methods. However, IR- and MW-IR-dried flours showed a higher final viscosity when compared to other drying methods. MW-IR drying methods, IR, and MW showed a higher water solubility index, while the oven and freeze-drying methods showed a lower solubility index. MW-IR drying methods showed a higher retention of β-carotene (85.06%). MW also showed a higher retention of β-carotene (80.46%), followed by IR (66.04%), while oven and freeze-drying methods showed a lower retention of β-carotene. High β-carotene retention in the produced flour is due to the faster drying method, and these flours can be used in food-to-food fortification to address vitamin A deficiency.

Soluble sugar is one of the important characteristic metabolites contributing to the flavor quality of tea. However, little is known about the changes and metabolic pathways of sugar in summer–autumn black tea varieties during the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating the effects of the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum on soluble sugar metabolism in three summer–autumn black tea varieties. In this study, we combined targeted metabolomics technology, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and multivariate statistical analysis to reveal the metabolic rules of 13 different sugars in three varieties of summer–autumn black tea under the action of Ganoderma lucidum. Using multivariate statistical analysis, 8 common key sugar differential metabolites were selected from the three groups of samples: D-fructose, trehalose, lactose, maltose, D-galactose, glucose, L-rhamnose, and xylitol. The eight different sugars contributed to the quality difference between Ganoderma lucidum tea and black tea in this study. To better explore the patterns of sugar changes, the metabolic pathways of 13 different sugars were screened and analyzed. The result revealed that the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum increased the sweet characteristics and decreased the bitter characteristics of the three summer–autumn black tea varieties. In addition, these results showed that the solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum could produce lactose in tea, reduce glucose and fructose contents, and increase xylitol content. The solid-state fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum can regulate soluble sugar metabolism in three summer–autumn black tea varieties, leading to an improvement in their quality. This study has potential practical significance for regulating the flavor quality of summer–autumn tea.

The rising demand for fiber-rich food products has fuelled the exploration of innovative approaches to enhance their dietary fiber content. Although adding dietary fiber-rich materials into pasta formula can increase the dietary fiber content, this approach counters several technological problems as the cooking and textural properties of the resulting pastas are usually negatively affected. This study is aimed at utilizing sweet corn “milk” residue (SCMR), a food by-product, and transglutaminase to develop fiber-rich pasta. Durum wheat semolina was replaced by SCMR powder at the ratio of 0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20% to make SCMR-fortified pasta. The chemical compositions and cooking and textural properties of the fortified pasta were then quantified. As the replacement ratio increased, the dietary fiber content, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant properties of pasta were considerably improved while the cooking and textural attributes were negatively impacted. At 20% SCMR fortification, the dietary fiber content and TPC of the pasta were increased by 3.2 and 1.2 times, respectively, while the cooking loss increased by 73% as compared to those of the control pasta. Meanwhile, the chewiness, cohesiveness, tensile strength, and elongation rate at break of the 20% SCMR-fortified pasta were reduced by 19%, 26%, 21%, and 65%, respectively, compared to those of the control pasta. To improve the cooking properties and the textural properties of the fortified pasta, transglutaminase was added to the pasta dough with 20% SCMR. The effect of transglutaminase was enzyme-dose dependent. The cooking and textural qualities of pasta were improved as enzyme concentration increased 0 to 0.75 U/g protein and declined as the enzyme concentration increased from 0.75 to 1.25 g/U protein. At the optimal concentration of transglutaminase (0.75 U/g protein), the cooking loss reduced by 16% while the chewiness, cohesiveness, tensile strength, and elongation rate increased by 18%, 11%, 31%, and 32% compared to those without transglutaminase. Novelty Impact Statement. This study focuses on developing the dietary fiber-enriched pasta using sweet corn “milk” residue and transglutaminase enzyme. The results showed that replacing 20% durum wheat semolina with SCMR powder significantly enhanced the dietary fiber and total phenolic content of the pasta but negatively affect the cooking and textural properties of the pasta. Adding transglutaminase at 0.75 U/g protein to the SCMR-semolina blended dough successfully restored the adverse effects of SCMR on the cooking and textural properties. This study showed that dietary fiber-enriched pasta with improved cooking and textural properties can be prepared using the combination of SCMR and transglutaminase.

Passion fruits are susceptible to numerous postharvest challenges including weight loss, ethylene production, peel shrinkage, microbial growth, and pulp liquefaction. To mitigate these issues, yellow passion fruits were treated with hydroxypropyl cassava starch zinc oxide (HCS-ZnO) nanoparticles at varying concentrations. Fruits were stored at 10°C for 42 days, and the treated fruits underwent periodic assessments for weight loss, electrical conductivity, reducing sugar, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity, and peel color. The results showed that a 0.8% HCS-ZnO nanoparticle coating could significantly reduce the weight loss of passion fruit during storage. However, compared to other treatments, a 0.2% HCS-ZnO nanoparticle coating demonstrated superior preservation of physicochemical properties, delayed discoloration, slowed ripening, maintained cell membrane integrity (electrical conductivity 1337 μs/cm), and reduced nutrient loss (titrable acidity 3.35 g/100 mL, TSS 17.9%, reducing sugar 5.1 g/100 g) at 42 days of storage. This innovative approach holds promise for commercial application, offering a sustainable solution to mitigate postharvest losses of passion fruit. The study underscores the potential of HCS-ZnO nanoparticles as effective coatings to uphold fruit quality and extend shelf life, presenting compelling insights for future fruit preservation strategies.

Globally, large quantity of animal byproducts is generated from the slaughter of food animals, but there is lack of research articles related to drying of these byproducts and its use as pet food. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of utilization of intact whole buffalo liver by drying for pet treat, evaluating its shelf life and palatability. The intact liver surface was superficially sliced, and the surface was pierced. Thereafter, the livers were pretreated in 3% sugar and 4% salt solution (1 : 3 w/v) for 3 h followed by microwaving for 4 min and hot air drying at 60°C for 40 h (designated as T2L). The livers which were dried the same as T2L except surface piercing were referred as T1L, whereas the livers dried only using hot air oven were referred as control (CL). The moisture and protein contents of the dried CL and T2L were found to be 28.46% and 14.29% and 43.85% and 52.76%, respectively. Sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) image of T2L revealed the presence of few low as well as high molecular weight protein bands which were absent in CL and T1L indicating a comparatively lower level of protein degradation in T2L. The shelf life of T1L and T2L samples based on microbiological and lipid oxidation analyses was found to be more than 60 days at 25 and 4°C. Palatability studies using dogs showed that all dried samples were highly palatable. Thus, it could be concluded that intact buffalo liver could be dried using surface slicing, with/without piercing followed by salt and sugar pretreatment, 4 min microwaving, and hot air drying at 60°C for 40 h. Future study should focus on the sensory properties such as aroma, texture, and flavor and sensory analysis of the dried liver by human.

The study is aimed at determining how the quality of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) sauce (AkS) changed over time, including changes in color, moisture content, acid value (AV), peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), aerobic plate count, and sensory score. Quality variations and shelf life of AkS were estimated using kinetic model and back propagation (BP) neural network model. The results showed that sensory score, moisture content, and a∗ values of AkS declined as storage temperature increased at 4, 25, and 37°C. In addition, the L∗ values, b∗ values, AV, POV, and TBARS of AkS increased as storage duration increased, indicating that high storage temperature of the samples accelerated quality degradation. The primary reason for AkS degradation was the oxidation of proteins and lipids. The POV, TBARS, and total sensory evaluation rating exhibited a highly significant correlation, and therefore, POV and TBARS were selected as the indicators for the two models. The BP neural network outperformed the kinetic model in predicting quality changes over the whole storage period, with relative errors of less than 10%. In terms of shelf-life prediction, the BP neural network’s relative errors were 11.76% and 13.39% in POV and TBARS, respectively. POV and TBARS had experimental shelf lengths of 119 and 142 d, respectively. Compared with the kinetic model, the BP neural network model predicted the quality changes and shelf life of AkS with greater accuracy and stability. The findings offer fundamental insights and innovative concepts for the production of high-value Antarctic krill products, as well as the exploitation of Antarctic krill resources.

Tomato is perishable and requires preservation to extend its shelf life. In this study, we conducted selection processes to identify essential oils that can help to avoid spoilage and deterioration during tomato storage and extend the shelf life. Thereafter, we determined the phosphatase activity assay, potassium ion concentration, and electron microscopy to study the antibacterial mechanism of essential oil. We found that Enterobacter ludwigii W01 was the dominant spoilage bacterium in tomatoes with cracked and curled skin. We selected oregano essential oil from 12 essential oils (oregano essential oil, lemon essential oil, osmanthus essential oil, cypress wood essential oil, tea tree essential oil, licorice essential oil, Baili essential oil, white camphor essential oil, Shancang seed essential oil, rosemary essential oil, rose essential oil, and cinnamon essential oil) which could significantly inhibit the activity of E. ludwigii W01. However, the diameter of the inhibition zone for Wh, Te, Cy, Li, Rm, Le, and Os is 0 mm, the diameter of the inhibition zone for Ba, Sh, and Ro was less than 1.0 mm, whereas the diameter of the inhibition zone for Ci and Or was greater than 2.0 mm. The diameter of the suppression circle for Ci and Or was greater than 2.0 mm, while Ci was lesser than Or. Oregano essential oil can damage the cell wall of E. ludwigii W01, leading to the leakage of the alkaline phosphatase stored between the cell wall and the cell membrane which can increase the alkaline phosphatase activity in the bacterial solution. Meanwhile, the addition of oregano essential oil significantly altered the cellular morphology of E. ludwigii W01. Spraying the surface of fresh tomato fruits with 1 MIC (0.125%) of oregano essential oil prolonged the storage time to 15 days, without significant changes in its sensory attributes. Those results indicated that oregano essential oil was a potential preservative for tomatoes.

Currently, there is a growing trend of replacing synthetic antioxidants with natural alternatives to prevent the oxidation of edible oils. Herein, we assessed the phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of ethanolic extracts that are obtained from Cydonia oblonga (SQ). Furthermore, we incorporated SQ at two different concentrations (1% and 2%) into cold-pressed sesame oil, storing it for 30 days under ambient conditions. We then assessed the peroxide value (PV), acid value (AV), oxidative stability using the Rancimat apparatus, and the fatty acid (FA) composition. Additionally, we performed the molecular docking analyses to explore the interaction between trans fatty acids (TFAs; C18:1 and C18:2) and key proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP). The total phenol, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of SQ were found to be 95.33±5.03 mg GAE/g, 343.67±16.44 mg QE/g, and 465.67±5.51 mmol Fe²⁺/g, respectively. The presence of SQ exhibited a significant impact on reducing PV and AV when compared to the control group. Furthermore, the addition of SQ resulted in a significant increase in the induction period (IP) compared to the control. The predominant FAs in the samples were 18:2n-6, 18:1n-9, 16:0, and 18:0, respectively. The levels of TFAs in all samples at 30 days were higher than those at 0 day. TNF-α and IL-6 showed a higher binding affinity for the trans-C18:1 ligand, with a docking score of -6.81 and -5.82, respectively, compared to the trans-C18:2 ligand. In this context, SQ can be proposed as a natural antioxidant to enhance the oxidative stability of sesame oil. Additionally, the binding preferences and specific interactions of TFAs with these proinflammatory cytokines indicate their potential role in modulating inflammation.

The coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum L.) is well known for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties since it contains a considerable number of bioactive compounds. This property encourages the use of coriander in food because it has many health benefits and preserves food longer. The current study’s objective was to demonstrate the extraction of coriander’s three fractions (leaves, flowers, and seeds) using microwave drying and ultrasonic assistance, in order to identify its distinct functional components. After microwave drying, the highest amounts of ash, fat, fiber, and protein with values 6.39±0.04, 10.10±0.05, 10.14±0.06, and 13.10±0.03%, respectively, were observed in coriander seeds. Among macro- and microminerals analyzed, contents of Ca and Mg were found highest in coriander leaves, with values 689±0.14 and 412±0.04 mg/100 g, respectively, whereas Fe, Zn, and Mn were found highest in seeds with values 15.46±0.02, 3.92±0.02, and 1.29±0.02 mg/100 g. Ultrasonic-assisted ethanolic extracts of microwave-dried coriander leaves presented significantly high (p<0.05) total phenolic contents (253.45±0.12 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g), total flavonoid contents (98.15±0.09 mg quercetin equivalent/100 g), and total antioxidant activity (47.32±0.04 mg trolox/100 g), followed by seeds, while flowers presented lowest values. Significantly high (p<0.05) antimicrobial activities were exhibited from extracts of coriander seeds, followed by leaves. It was concluded that leaves, flowers, and seeds of coriander all were rich source of nutritional components and bioactives, and microwave drying and ultrasonic-assisted extraction were proved useful techniques for maximum retention of these contents in powders and ethanolic extracts, respectively.

Bissap is prepared from Roselle calyxes (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) by hot infusion and marketed as a health drink. To improve the tart attributes, sucrose is usually added. However, because of nutrition and health concerns, processors explore other types of sweeteners, but the impact on the phytochemical and physicochemical quality and sensory properties of Bissap is not reported despite the potential influence on consumer acceptability. In this study, Roselle calyx extract was prepared to which sugarloaf pineapple pulp, Roscoe ginger, Negro/Ethiopian pepper, and cloves were added to obtain the Bissap stock (control). Then, either sucrose, caramel, honey, or sucralose was added to the Bissap to achieve a comparable sweetness (13.1°Brix), and the effects were assessed during storage. The results showed that caramel and honey significantly increased the nonenzymatic browning of Bissap from 0.49±0.04 to 0.66±0.07 and 0.64±0.02, and the cloud value from 0.14±0.01 to 0.23±0.01 and 0.28±0.02, respectively. The use of honey increased the ascorbic acid from 2.58±0.17 to 3.35±0.19 mg AE/mL, phenols from 11.25±0.90 to 17.66±1.07 mg GAE/mL, flavonoid from 15.33±1.12 to 27.02±1.69 mg QE/mL, and antioxidant capacity from 16.59±1.34 to 25.36±1.00 mg GAE/mL. During storage, ascorbate content decreased, but at a rate lower for honey-Bissap than the other sweeteners whilst the flavonoid and antioxidant activity of honey- and caramel-Bissap improved. The physicochemical changes led to a shelf life of 10 days at 6°C storage. Sensory analysis revealed the highest consumer (n=75) acceptability scores for sucrose (5.89±0.17), sucralose (5.43±0.17), caramel (5.07±0.17), honey (4.30±0.20), and unsweetened Bissap (2.59±0.22). Although honey enhanced the functional quality of Bissap, sucralose showed the highest potential as an alternative sweetener.

With the escalating prevalence of diabetes and obesity, resistant dextrin, renowned for its prebiotic properties and blood glucose-lowering physiological activity, has garnered significant attention. Resistant dextrin, a low-calorie, indigestible water-soluble dietary fiber processed from starch, has high solubility, low molecular weight, and good thermal stability. The established method for its preparation involves a combination of acid heat treatment and enzymatic purification. Within the human body, resistant dextrin confers numerous health benefits. It promotes a balanced intestinal microbiome, regulates blood glucose and lipid metabolism, and enhances satiety. Additionally, it exerts positive influences on the intestinal environment, aids in weight management, and alleviates chronic conditions, particularly diabetes. In the food industry, resistant dextrin is widely employed as a functional food additive to enhance the nutritional value and health benefits of various food products. However, there is a need for greater clarity regarding the structural characteristics of resistant dextrin and the potential interplay between its structure and physiological activity. This paper comprehensively reviews the preparation methods, structural properties, health benefits, and application areas of resistant dextrin. Additionally, it anticipates future trends in its development. The primary objective of this review is to offer theoretical guidance and fresh perspectives for further research, the innovation of functional products, and the expanded utilization of resistant dextrin.

Fruit juices are popular beverages that provide various health benefits due to their rich nutritional profile, but they are prone to microbial spoilage and quality deterioration. Thermal pasteurization is the conventional method to preserve fruit juices, but it causes undesirable changes in the physicochemical and nutritional value of the juices. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative methods to ensure the microbial safety and quality of fruit juices. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of thermal (95-100°C for 4 min), ultrasonication (US) (25 kHz for 5 and 10 min), and thermosonication (TS) (25 kHz at 40 and 50°C) processes on the quality profile of watermelon-beetroot juice blend, a novel juice formulation with enhanced nutritional and functional properties with 50 : 50 formulation. The samples were analysed for physicochemical (colour, pH, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity), bioactive (phenolic, flavonoid, antioxidant, and ascorbic acid contents), and microbiological (total plate count and yeast/molds) properties. The results showed that all the processed samples retained high total phenolic (756.33-842.33 μg GAE/g), total flavonoid (435.33-512.67 μg CE/g), and ascorbic acid (45.23-50.34 mg/100 mL) contents along with a high antioxidant potential (total antioxidant capacity (274.14-305.33 μg AAE/g) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (33.05-42.18%)) while preserving the normal physicochemical characteristics and decreasing the microbial counts of all the processed blend juices. In conclusion, the US treatment (10 min) produced the juice blends with the best quality. The findings of this research suggest that thermal, US, and TS processes are promising technologies for the preservation of fruit juices and that watermelon-beetroot juice blend is a novel juice formulation with high nutritional and functional value. The results of this research might be useful to the processed fruit juice industry and the consumers who are looking for healthy and safe fruit juices.

This research is aimed at preparing the β-galactosidase (βg) and vitamin C (VC) cocapsules stabilized by milk proteins. The effect of different independent parameters including core-coating ratio (10-100%), whey protein isolate (0 : 1), sodium caseinate (0 : 1), and ultrasound power (50-150 W) on physicochemical properties of microcapsules was investigated. The response surface methodology (RSM) defined the optimal conditions. Increasing the WPI values had different effects on the particle size and polydispersity index (PDI). The zeta potential values decreased by decreasing SC values. The βg had better encapsulation efficiency in comparison to VC. Increasing the core-coating ratio showed a negative effect on the enzyme activity. Among the test parameters, the core-coating ratio was effective on the viscosity of microcapsules. Two optimum conditions for co-encapsulation were determined as WPI, SC, core-coating ratio, and ultrasound power of 0, 1, 100%, and 79.4 W and 0.2, 0.8, 100%, and 75 W for microcapsules I and II, respectively. In the next step, the structural and morphological properties of the optimum samples were analyzed. The heterogeneous morphology of microcapsules was observed by SEM analysis. The formation of new interactions between wall materials, βg, and VC was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. XRD analysis revealed that the WPI-coated sample had a higher crystallinity index. Generally, the successful co-encapsulation of βg and VC exhibited the potential of the resultant microcapsules for the industrial production of VC fortified and lactose-free milk.

Food printing is a cutting-edge manufacturing technique that uses advanced printing methods such as binder jetting, extrusion-based printing, and inkjet printing to build an object layer by layer to achieve the required shape of food items such as chocolate and cheese. 3DFP (3-dimensional food printing) has the potential to combine delicate and easily degradable bioactive compounds and other functional elements into functional 3DFP food products, contributing greatly to the development of nutritious food. Many nations make different types of 3D food printers nowadays, creating specialty meals like space food, restaurants, elderly food, and floating food. Numerous benefits of 3DFP include the development of individualized food items with regard to taste and nutrition, the decentralisation of food production, the decrease of food waste, and commercial innovation. Based on the benefits of customizing current food to one’s taste and use, three-dimensional food printing technology can be applied to a variety of food categories. One of the reasons for the increase in research into this technology is the ability to produce modified products that are tailored to suit the taste preferences and specific nutritional demands of consumers. In this review, the industrial situation of 3DFP technology was examined along with recommendations for expanding the market for 3D-printed food in the new typical age.

Medicago polymorpha L. (MP) is a herbaceous plant commonly known as “bur clover.” It is aboriginal to Central and Western Asia and extensively distributed around the world. This study determines the changes in carotenoids and antioxidant potential of different MP of different origins. The sample leaves were analyzed for identification and quantification of carotenoids using a reversed-phase HPLC system. The result showed nine carotenoids and pigments in each sample. The major carotenoid compounds were phytoene, phytofluene, neoxanthin and its isomer (9-Z-neoxanthin), violaxanthin, lutein along with their isomers (9-Z-lutein, 9′-Z-lutein), and all-E-β-carotene. The major pigments were 15-hydroxy-lactone chlorophyll a, pheophytin a, pheophytin a′, pyropheophytin a, divinyl chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b′, chlorophyll b, 13′-hydroxy-lactone chlorophyll b, and hydroxy pheophytin a′. The carotenoids were detected in considerable amounts in the samples from Lower Dir (213 μg/g), Swat (171 μg/g), and Buner (157 μg/g). Chlorophylls were higher in Lower Dir (203.4 μg/g), Swat (184.0 μg/g), and Buner (152.2 μg/g) and significantly lower amounts in Malakand samples (141.7 μg/g). The total carotenoids in Lower Dir (51.2%) were higher than in Swat (48.2%), Buner (50.8%), and Malakand samples (44.6%). The amounts of violaxanthin and lutein were significantly higher in Lower Dir (73.6%) samples, followed by Malakand (51.7%), whereas Buner and Swat samples showed the lowest levels. In conclusion, MP leaves are a good source of important carotenoids having potential antioxidant properties, which are highly correlated to the violaxanthin and lutein contents.