Effects of cyclic cellulase conditioning and germination treatment on the γ-aminobutyric acid content and the cooking and taste qualities of germinated brown rice

Ultrasound-assisted germination of red kidney beans: Enhancements in physicochemical and nutritional profiles

To improve the conventional germination process and improve the nutritional quality of red kidney beans, this study employed high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) supplemented with hydrogen peroxide as a pre-germination treatment. The results showed that the 350 W-10 min treatment yielded the highest germination rate (77.09%), with its sprout length 81.13% greater than that of the control group. The 350 W-10 min treatment increased total protein, soluble protein, and ash content, while simultaneously reducing the fat, starch, and soluble sugar content. The HIU treatment accelerated the accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, ascorbic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid. The 350 W-10 min treatment also decreased the levels of phytic acid, trypsin inhibitor activity, and tannin by 42.71%, 65.58%, and 53.18%, respectively. Furthermore, ultrasonic cavitation enhanced antioxidative capacity and improved amino acid composition and protein digestibility. Consequently, HIU serves as a cost-efficient method to accelerate the germination process and enhance their nutritional composition.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): a comprehensive review of dietary sources, enrichment technologies, processing effects, health benefits, and its applications

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring potential bioactive compound present in plants, microorganisms, animals, and humans. Especially, as a main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, GABA possesses a broad spectrum of promising bioactivities. Thus, functional foods enriched with GABA have been widely sought after by consumers. However, the GABA levels in natural foods are usually low, which cannot meet people's demand for health effects. With the increasing public awareness on the food securities and naturally occurring processes, using enrichment technologies to elevate the GABA contents in foods instead of exogenous addition can enhance the acceptability of health-conscious consumers. Herein, this review provides a comprehensive insight on the dietary sources, enrichment technologies, processing effects of GABA, and its applications in food industry. Furthermore, the various health benefits of GABA-enriched foods, mainly including neuroprotection, anti-insomnia, anti-depression, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory are also summarized. The main challenges for future research on GABA are related to exploring high GABA producing strains, enhancing the stability of GABA during storage, and developing emerging enrichment technologies without affecting food quality and other active ingredients. A better understanding of GABA may introduce new windows for its application in developing functional foods.