Effects of soy flour types and extrusion-cooking conditions on physicochemical, microstructural and sensory characteristics of puffed rice snack base

The physicochemical properties of puffed rice snack base (PRSB) prepared via extrusion cooking under various feed moisture contents and screw speeds were investigated. The moisture content, screw speed, and soy flour type significantly (p < 0.05) affected the physicochemical properties of PRSB viz; size, density, porosity, color, breaking strength, crystallinity, water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI). While, a slight effect on pasting properties was observed between PRSB added with defatted and full-fat soy flour, respectively. Soy flour lipids significantly (p < 0.05) influenced extrusion cooking conditions especially at high screw speed and feed moisture content. The result revealed that extrusion cooking with addition of full-fatty soy flour can be exploited as a viable method to produce PRS with a high expansion ratio and low breaking strength at recommended extrusion conditions of feed moisture content of 19 % and screw speed of 300 rpm.

Effects of superfine grinding using ball-milling on the physical properties, chemical composition, and antioxidant properties of Quercus salicina (Blume) leaf powders

BACKGROUND

Quercus salicina (Blume) leaves are traditionally used as folk medicine in some Asian countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ball milling for different periods (0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h) on the physicochemical properties of superfine Quercus salicina (Blume) leaf (QSL) powders.

RESULTS

The particle sizes, water-holding capacity, angle of repose, and redness of the superfine QSL powder decreased with increasing ball-milling times, whereas the water solubility index, bulk density, tapped density, brightness, and yellowness were found to increase. Significantly higher (P > 0.05) total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities, were observed for the superfine QSL powders obtained after 24 h ball-milling time. A total of 12 phenolic compounds in free and cell-wall-bound forms were quantified in the superfine QSL powder. Free phenolics such as protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and p-coumaric acid were increased and all cell-wall-bound phenolics were decreased with increasing ball-milling times. The antioxidant activity of the free phenolics increased with increasing ball-milling times, and the cell-wall-bound forms decreased.

CONCLUSION

Superfine grinding by ball milling for 24 h can thus be used to produce superfine QSL powder with higher free phenolic metabolite content and antioxidant activity, and improved water solubility index, color, bulk, and tapped densities. This study will be useful for the food / nutraceutical / pharmaceutical industries in the manufacturing of active food ingredients or value-added products using QSL powders. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Onsite/on-field analysis of pesticide and veterinary drug residues by a state-of-art technology: A review

Pesticides and veterinary drugs are generally employed to control pests and insects in crop and livestock farming. However, remaining residues are considered potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. Therefore, regular monitoring is required for assessing and legislation of pesticides and veterinary drugs. Various approaches to determining residues in various agricultural and animal food products have been reported. Most analytical methods involve sample extraction, purification (cleanup), and detection. Traditional sample preparation is time-consuming labor-intensive, expensive, and requires a large amount of toxic organic solvent, along with high probability for the decomposition of a compound before the analysis. Thus, modern sample preparation techniques, such as the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method, have been widely accepted in the scientific community for its versatile application; however, it still requires a laboratory setup for the extraction and purification processes, which also involves the utilization of a toxic solvent. Therefore, it is crucial to elucidate recent technologies that are simple, portable, green, quick, and cost-effective for onsite and infield residue detections. Several technologies, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, quantum dots, biosensing, and miniaturized gas chromatography, are now available. Further, several onsite techniques, such as ion mobility-mass spectrometry, are now being upgraded; some of them, although unable to analyze field sample directly, can analyze a large number of compounds within very short time (such as time-of-flight and Orbitrap mass spectrometry). Thus, to stay updated with scientific advances and analyze organic contaminants effectively and safely, it is necessary to study all of the state-of-art technology.

Structure-function engineering of novel fish gelatin-derived multifunctional peptides using high-resolution peptidomics and bioinformatics

The multifunctional properties of fish gelatin hydrolysates have not been completely elucidated. Here, the biological characterization of these peptides was performed to engineer multifunctional peptides. Bioactive peptides were produced from mackerel byproducts via successive enzymatic hydrolysis reactions using subtilisin A and actinidin as microbial and herbal proteases. The antibacterial activity against both gram-negative and -positive food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, as well as the inhibitory potential of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), was accessed in vitro. The synthesized peptides demonstrated multifunctional properties, which were further confirmed by in silico protocols. The ACE and DPP-IV inhibitory (IC₅₀) values of P1, P2, and P3 were 0.92 and 0.87, 0.51 and 0.93, 0.78 and 1.16 mg mL⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, the binding energy was sufficient for all three peptides to inhibit both ACE and DPP-IV enzymes with excellent three-dimensional conformation (RMSD = 0.000) for all six docking mechanisms.

Physiochemical properties, dietary fibers, and functional characterization of three yuzu cultivars at five harvesting times

This research focused on physiochemical and nutritional properties and functional characterization of three cultivars of yuzu-Native, Tadanishiki yuzu, and Namhae1-during different seasons. According to the cultivar and harvest time, yuzu cultivars were analyzed for free sugar, dietary fiber, hesperidin, naringin, and flavonoid content as well as antioxidant and antihypertensive activity. During November, Namhae1 exhibited the highest fruit weight, °Brix/acidity ratio, and total dietary fiber content. Tadanishiki contained the highest fructose and sucrose levels, pectin and cellulose contents, and soluble dietary fiber. Tadanishiki also had the highest hesperidin content in October, while the naringin content and antioxidant activity were the greatest in November. Antihypertensive activity was also the strongest for Tadanishiki, which was picked in October and November. These results indicated that Tadanishiki in October or November was the best for consumption or favorable processing because of its excellent product quality and high levels of nutritional and functional compounds.

Production and characterization of a novel beverage from laver (Porphyra dentata) through fermentation with kombucha consortium

A novel functional kombucha using laver was developed by fermentation for 14 d at 25 °C through kombucha consortia of yeast and bacteria. The physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant effects, and nutraceutical properties of laver kombucha from infusion extracts (K-IE) and ultrasound-assisted extracts (K-UAE) were compared with those of black tea (K-BT) and green tea kombucha (K-GT). Tea kombucha showed higher amounts of total phenols and flavonoid content, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) while K-UAE exhibited the highest content of organic acid, especially, α- ketoglutaric acid (224.97 mg/100 mL), and acetic acid (564.15 mg/100 mL) with highest titratable acidity, lower pH value and enhanced DPPH scavenging ability. Hence, laver has significant potential to be used as a substrate for developing new fermented beverages through ultrasound-assisted extraction.

Aqueous green tea infusion extracted by ultra-sonication method, but not by conventional method, facilitates GLUT4 membrane translocation in adipocytes which potently ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity

Green tea contains bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, responsible for its health-promoting effects, including antiobesity and antidiabetic effects. We previously reported that ultra-sonication extraction (UE) could efficiently increase the extraction yield of green tea compounds. In the present study, we found that the extract obtained using UE contained higher phenolic and flavonoid contents than that obtained using the conventional method. We therefore considered the extract as a bioactive metabolite-rich functional green tea extract (BMF-GTE), and tested its glucose-lowering effect by generating an adipocyte cell line stably expressing 7myc-GLUT4-GFP. We found that BMF-GTE treatment increased GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. Moreover, BMF-GTE administration attenuated weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Importantly, HFD-induced glucose tolerance was ameliorated in the mice receiving BMF-GTE. Therefore, we conclude that BMF-GTE worked against obesity and diabetes, at least partially, by enhancing GLUT4 translocation in adipocytes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As green tea is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide, its health effects have been widely tested. In our previous studies, we found that ultra-sonication extraction (UE) has the potential to increase the aqueous extraction yield of green tea compounds compared to conventional extraction techniques. In this study, we examined the biological effect of bioactive metabolite-rich functional green tea extract (BMF-GTE) obtained using UE; we observed that administering BMF-GTE lowered the body weight and increased insulin sensitivity in mice fed a high-fat diet, potentially by facilitating the membrane translocation of GLUT4 in adipocytes. Therefore, this study suggests that the extract obtained with UE had antiobesity and antidiabetic properties, indicative of a potential application of UE in maximizing the beneficial effects of green tea on human health.

Influence of different temperatures on brining kinetics, salt concentration and texture properties of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) during brining with ultrasonic treatment

The effects of ultrasound treatment at different temperatures (4, 10, and 25 ℃) on the brining process of Chinese cabbage were investigated based on their salt diffusion coefficients and texture profiles. Salt weight increased significantly, but water weight decreased in Chinese cabbage treated with ultrasound at increasing temperatures. According to Fick's second equation, the effective diffusion coefficient of Chinese cabbage showed a notable increase as temperature was increased. High temperature caused unfavorable texture properties, and among these, hardness showed the most significant decrease when brining temperature was set at 25 °C. Consequently, results from the texture profile analysis and brining kinetics modeling suggest that optimal brining conditions could be achieved at 10 °C. At this temperature, the diffusion coefficient of Chinese cabbage is higher, the brining time is reduced, and the preferred qualities of kimchi are preserved. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Ultrasonication is an effective technology that can be utilized in kimchi manufacturing. It presents the advantage of reducing brining time while maintaining the acceptable textural properties of kimchi. This study investigated the impact of different temperatures on the texture properties and brining times of Chinese cabbage during brining and reveal a practical application worthy of further study in food industries and provide valuable information for improving the quality of kimchi.

Quantification of spinosyn A and spinosyn D in animal-derived products using multiwalled carbon nanotubes coupled with LC-MS/MS for analysis

An analytical method was developed for the quantification of spinosad (sum of spinosyns A and D) in five animal-derived products (chicken breast, pork, beef, egg, and milk) using LC-MS/MS. The sample was extracted using acetonitrile/1% acetic acid and a combination of magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate salts. The sample was purified using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as sorbent via a dispersive-solid-phase extraction procedure. Matrix-matched calibration (seven-point) provided good linearity with coefficient of determination (R² ) ≥0.99 for each product. The limits of detection and quantification (LOQs) ranged between 0.0003-0.03 and 0.001-0.1 mg/kg, respectively. Method validation was carried out after spiking the target standard to blank matrices at the concentration levels of LOQ, 2 × LOQ, and 10 × LOQ with three replicates for each. The average recoveries were between 74 and 104%, with relative standard deviations ≤9.68, which were within the acceptable range designated by the international organizations. The developed method was successfully applied for monitoring market samples collected throughout the Korean Peninsula, and none of the samples tested positive for the target analytes. It has therefore been shown that dehydration and acidification were effective to extract spinosad from animal-derived products.

Physicochemical, antioxidant, microstructural, and sensory properties of sesame bars sweetened with pear juice concentrate

Pear juice concentrate (PJC) can be used as a natural sweetener in various processed foods. In this study, sesame bars were manufactured by adding PJC and rice syrup at mixing ratios of 0:30 (G-0), 1:29 (G-1), 3:27 (G-3), and 5:25 (G-5), and the bars were investigated for their physiochemical properties, antioxidants, morphology, and sensory attributes. Addition of PJC at more than 3% increased a* and b* values of bars, decreased cohesiveness, hardness, and compactness, and made the bars malleable. Antioxidants, sugars, and organic acids in the sesame bars increased significantly with a corresponding increase in PJC level from 1 to 5%. Prominent changes in functional groups and corresponding spectral characteristics were observed in sesame bars with 5% PJC. Lower PJC levels produced a compacted morphology, bars with more than 5% PJC exhibited a dented structure. Based on the sensory properties, sesame bars with PJC (3%) showed excellent overall acceptability.

Antioxidant mechanism, antibacterial activity, and functional characterization of peptide fractions obtained from barred mackerel gelatin with a focus on application in carbonated beverages

The present study aimed to use fish by-products to generate gelatin peptides with potential applications in carbonated beverages. After ultrafiltration, the F < 3 kDa (fraction < 3 kDa) showed the highest peptide concentration (227.22 mg/g) as well as antibacterial (MIC of ≤ 0.5 mg/mL) and antioxidant activities, including hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging, ferrous chelation, and ferric reduction (with IC₅₀ values of 0.88, 1.04, 0.50 mg/mL, and 0.58, respectively). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging was the highest in the 3 < F < 10 kDa (IC₅₀ of 0.64 mg/mL). In vitro gastrointestinal digestion significantly decreased all biological activities. Solubility, water holding capacity, and emulsifying activity of the F < 3 kDa were the highest while foaming properties and overfoaming were reversibly related to the molecular weight. All abovementioned properties, in addition to in vitro cytotoxicity analysis in different cell lines and better flavor characteristics, indicated that the F < 3 kDa could be safely and properly used as an ingredient for the fortification of carbonated beverages.

Effects of X-ray irradiation on the postharvest quality characteristics of 'Maehyang' strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)

This study evaluated the effects of X-ray irradiation (0-1 kGy) on quality parameters of Korean strawberries during storage at 15 °C for 9 d. As compared to control, all irradiated samples exhibited dose-dependent decreases in microbial counts regardless of storage period. Irradiation significantly (p < 0.05) reduced weight loss and decay incidence of fruits during storage. Fruit firmness decreased immediately after irradiation, but no significant changes occurred after 3 d. Neither irradiation nor storage period significantly affected total soluble solids, pH, or titratable acidity. All treatments delayed color changes and pelargonidin accumulation during storage. The radical scavenging activities and total phenolic, ellagic acid, and catechin contents increased gradually during storage. Furthermore, irradiated fruits showed improved sensory characteristics throughout storage. Thus, X-ray irradiation (≤1 kGy) was confirmed as a effective phytosanitary treatment for strawberries to delay decay and negative physicochemical changes and extend shelf life with acceptable sensory attributes.

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of Quercus salicina Blume extract

Quercus salicina Blume (QS) is an oak species that is indigenous to Japan and Korea. Historically, extracts of leaves, stems, barks and buds from the QS tree had been extensively utilized as herbal medicines. As rich sources of natural antioxidants, QS extracts could prevent oxidative stress and the occurrence of related neurodegenerative diseases. In pharmaceutical applications, decoction or infusion of comminuted QS powder is prepared as an herbal tea for oral use. Various extraction methods and extracting mediums showed the potential antioxidant activities of QS extracts, as well as the different types and levels of bioactive compounds found in them. Due to their functional properties and possibly low-level of cytotoxicity, the potential application of QS extracts as a novel food ingredient could be considered. In this review paper, a brief overview about QS extracts and their bioactive components, antioxidant activities, toxicity and technological applications is described based on previous works.

Upgrading analytical methodology through comparative study for screening of 267 pesticides/metabolites in five representative matrices using UPLC-MS/MS

A comparative study was conducted to replace the traditional screening method (MFDS#83) with the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) EN method for the determination of 267 pesticides/metabolites/plant activators/growth regulators in five representative crop matrices (mandarin, pepper, potato, rice, and soybean). In the traditional method, samples were extracted with acetonitrile and salt, and purified with a solid-phase extraction cartridge. In the QuEChERS method, the sample extraction was carried out using acetonitrile and a mixture of salts, and purification was performed using dispersive solid phase extraction. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the MFDS#83 method was 0.0004 mg/kg, whereas for the QuEChERS EN method, the LOQ varied from 0.002 to 0.006 mg/kg for all analytes in various matrices. A six-point matrix-matched calibration curve was prepared for all analytes in five matrices for both methods. Both the MFDS#83 and QuEChERS EN methods provided excellent linearity, with the coefficients of determination (R²) ≥ 0.99 for most of the compounds. In both cases, the method was validated in terms of recovery and repeatability after the fortification of two different concentrations with three replicates for each of the concentrations. The QuEChERS EN method provided better recovery than the MFDS#83 method for all matrices except mandarin.

Physicochemical characteristics and isoflavones content during manufacture of short-time fermented soybean product (cheonggukjang)

Changes in physicochemical properties, isoflavone composition, antioxidant activities, and microbial count of cheonggukjang during the manufacturing process were investigated. During fermentation, isoflavone glucosides are converted to isoflavone aglycones. After fermentation, the increased isoflavone aglycone content was determined. The total phenolic and total flavonoid content, as well as antioxidant activities, significantly increased in cheonggukjang at fermentation process. In proximate composition, fermented soybeans had the highest crude protein content. A gradual increase in the browning index and pH values was observed from the primary processing procedure to fermentation. The total bacterial count increased with each manufacturing step, except for the steamed step. The traditional processing methods for cheonggukjang from raw soybean induced several changes in chemical composition. In addition, the change of isoflavone glucosides to isoflavone aglycones during fermentation could enhance their bioavailability and antioxidant properties.

Rapid Identification Method for Gamma-Irradiated Soybeans Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Coupled with a Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Technique

This study evaluated the applicability of a rapid analytical method using a headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) technique to identify gamma-irradiated soybeans (0.1-5 kGy). From the partial least squares discriminant analysis used to discriminate between non-irradiated and irradiated soybean samples, 1,7-hexadecadiene was selected as the identifying marker. Response surface methodology experiments were used to determine the optimal HS-SPME extraction conditions including a carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber with an extraction temperature of 98 °C and an extraction time of 55 min. 1,7-Hexdecadiene was detected in all samples irradiated at ≥ 0.1 kGy under the optimized HS-SPME-GC/MS conditions, and the unique presence of the marker in a gamma-irradiated sample was verified by comparing the results from heat, steam, microwave, sonication, and ultraviolet treatments. The comparisons of the identification properties for various conventional methods validated several advances in HS-SPME-GC/MS analysis in terms of rapid analysis, high sensitivity, and absence of solvent.

Shotgun metagenomics approach reveals the bacterial community and metabolic pathways in commercial hongeo product, a traditional Korean fermented skate product

The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial diversity and microbial metabolic pathways using a metagenomic approach in commercial hongeo samples collected from five different fish processing plants. Community comparison analysis indicated that hongeo samples from different fish processing plants have a similar microbial structure at genus level, but the relative abundance of these genera showed a significant difference among different hongeo samples. Four bacterial genera including Psychrobacter, Pseudomonas, Clostridium, and Oblitimonas were detected in all hongeo samples with a high relative abundance, which associated with the nitrogen compound accumulation and ammonia flavor formation in hongeo samples. In addition, some alkaliphilic marine lactic acid bacteria (LAB) belonging to the genera Marinilactibacillus and Jeotgalibaca were detected in hongeo samples, indicating that this product might be a useful source for finding novel bacteria and possibly marine LAB. Through functional profiling analysis, it was found that hongeo samples had higher bacterial gene content related to amino acid metabolism, followed by carbohydrate metabolism and inorganic ion metabolism. The results of this study provide an important information for understanding the mechanism of quality characteristics and ammonia flavor formation in hongeo products.

A review of encapsulation of carotenoids using spray drying and freeze drying

Carotenoids are potent antioxidants, but they are highly unstable and susceptible during processing and storage. Encapsulation technologies protect against degradation and are capable of releasing individual or combination of bioactive substances during processing as well as development of various functional food products. Moreover, encapsulating agents can be used to increase the stability of carotenoids and form a barrier between the core and wall materials. Suitable encapsulating agents, temperature, and drying methods are the most important factors for the encapsulation process. In this report, we reviewed the current status of encapsulation of carotenoids from different fruits, vegetables, spices, seaweeds, microorganisms, and synthetic sources using various types of encapsulating agents through spray drying and freeze drying. We also focused on the degradation kinetics and various factors that affect the stability and bioavailability of encapsulated carotenoids during their processing and storage.