Green apple baked snacks functionalized with edible coatings of methylcellulose containing Lactobacillus plantarum

Quantification of the environmental impact arising from the utilization of whole and defatted Okara in fermentative and dehydration processes

Okara is the insoluble pulp that remains after the grinding and filtration of soybeans during the production of soymilk and tofu. As it retains a noteworthy quantity of nutrients, there has been an increasing emphasis in the utilization of this residue for the development of sustainable processes. This study focused on assessing the environmental impact of employing okara as a medium for fermenting and dehydrating probiotic bacteria at laboratory scale. The evaluation was carried out using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, considering the entire process lifecycle. Whole okara and defatted okara were used as culture media for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114, followed by dehydration (either freeze-drying or spray-drying) and subsequent storage. For the purpose of comparison, both scenarios (whole and defatted okara) were evaluated using 1 kg of dehydrated final product for storage, as functional unit. Based on experimental results, the conservation of the received okara and the dehydration-storage (e.g., freezing and freeze-drying) phases were identified as the most significant environmental hotspots responsible for the most substantial impacts of the processes. The use of LCA facilitated the measurement of the environmental effects linked to the reutilization of okara as an agro-industrial residue, thus providing quantitative support when engineering its sustainable valorization.

Chemical Constituents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Different Fermented Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaves and Untargeted Metabolomic Measurement of the Metabolite Variation

To assess the effects of microbial fermentation on Gynostemma pentaphyllum leaves (GPL), four probiotics were used to ferment GPL (FGPL) for 7 days. At different stages of fermentation, changes in the active components and biological activities of FGPL were determined. The findings suggest that short-term fermentation with probiotics can enhance both the content and bioactivity of active components in GPL. However, prolonged fermentation may lead to a decline in these aspects. Among them, the best effect was observed with SWFU D16 fermentation for 2 days. This significantly improved the total phenolic and total flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and inhibitory ability against α-glucosidase activity with an increase of 28%, 114.82%, 7.42%, and 31.8%, respectively. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis results also supported this trend. Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed metabolite changes between GPL and FGPL and the key metabolites associated with these functional activities. These key metabolites are mainly organic acids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, and other substances. KEGG analysis demonstrated that microbial metabolism in diverse environments and carbon metabolism were the most significantly enriched pathways. Among them, 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid, d-glucose, gallic acid, gluconic acid, l-lactic acid, and l-malic acid were mostly involved in the microbial metabolism of diverse environmental pathways. In contrast, D-glucose, gluconic acid, and l-malic acid were mainly related to the carbon metabolism pathway. This study revealed the positive effect of probiotic fermentation on GPL and its potential metabolism mechanism, which could provide supporting data for further research.

Directed transformation of food raw materials - as a key factor in the transition to “personalized nutrition”

In the article, based on the results of the analysis of the relationship between public health and the nutrition structure of the Russian population, the main problems are identified and tasks in the field of personalized dietetics, functional and specialized nutrition are updated. The key points in solving these problems, taking into account scientific and technological achievements in the field of biochemistry, nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics and nutrimicrobiome in the 21st century, is the transition to "personalized nutrition". The main fundamental tasks in the field of agricultural science are determined, aimed primarily at identifying the patterns of transformation of food raw materials throughout the life cycle in order to create modern forms of food. On the example of pectin, it is shown that the study of the mechanisms and patterns of transformation of pectincontaining raw materials under the influence of physical, chemical, biotechnological methods in cooperation with scientists and specialists in the field of medicine and computer science makes it possible to create pectins with different chemical composition and structure and intended, in particular, for the prevention of intoxication heavy metals and organochlorine pesticides.

Something to chew on: technological aspects for novel snacks

Snacks have accompanied people for a long time, meeting our needs for something fast and filling between meals. Societies and technologies have changed, and so have snacks, adapting to people's daily lives, concerns, and demands. Although traditional snacks, such as potato chips, are still ubiquitous and popular worldwide, there is not unanimity around them anymore, since many people have been looking for healthier snacks. Studies have been carried out to propose healthier snack options by changing their composition and/or techniques to produce them, minimizing contents of energy-dense components and/or maximizing the retention or bioavailability of nutrients. This mini-review presents the main trends on development of snacks and future perspectives. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Edible Films and Coatings as Food-Quality Preservers: An Overview

Food preservation technologies are currently facing important challenges at extending the shelf-life of perishable food products (e.g., meat, fish, milk, eggs, and many raw fruits and vegetables) that help to meet the daily nutrient requirement demand. In addition, food preservation has gone beyond only preservation; the current techniques are focused on the fulfillment of two additional objectives, the suitability of the used processes and generation of environmentally friendly products with non-presence of any side effect on health. Moreover, they are also looking for additional nutritional properties. One of these preservation protocols deals with the use of edible films and coatings. Therefore, this review shows an overview of synthetic materials (e.g., glass, aluminum, plastic, and paperboard), as well as the regulations that limit their application in food packaging. Further, this review releases the current-state-of-the-art of the use of films and edible coatings as an alternative to conventional packaging, providing the main features that these biodegradable packaging should meet towards specific uses for the conservation and improvement of various food products. Herein, particular attention has been paid to the main used components (e.g., biopolymers, additives, bioactive, and probiotic components), manufacturing methods (for edible films or coatings) and their application to specific products. In addition, an outlook of the application of edible films and coatings as quality indicators of perishable products is shown.

Bioactive edible film based on Konjac glucomannan and probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strains: Physicochemical properties and shelf life of fresh-cut kiwis

This study investigates the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum strains (L. plantarum LP3, L. plantarum AF1, and L. plantarum LU5) incorporated into a Konjac-based edible coating in order to prevent fungi growth and retain physicochemical characteristics of fresh-cut kiwis kept at 4 °C for 5 days. For this purpose, probiotic survivability, fungi counts, decay percentage, color changes, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid content, chlorophyll amount, total phenolics, and DPPH radical scavenging of fresh-cut kiwis were evaluated. Results indicated that the population of L. plantarum strains in all treated groups retained at sufficient amounts of probiotic consumption (above 6 and 7 log CFU/g) at the end of the storage period and L. plantarum LP3 had the highest viability in comparison to other strains. The incorporation of L. plantarum in Konjac coatings markedly reduced the amount of decay and color changes and maintained the chlorophyll and ascorbic acid contents of fresh-cut kiwis compared to control samples. After 5 days of storage, total phenol content and the DPPH antiradical activities of coated kiwi slices treated with probiotics were observed about 1.2 and 10.23 g/kg compared to the pure Konjac-coated (0.84 and 7.6 g/kg) and Konjac-uncoated samples (0.44 and 4.1 g/kg), respectively. No significant difference in TSS and TA of various treatments was detected. Coated kiwi slices loaded with probiotics had higher overall acceptability compared to Konjac-coated and control samples. In addition, probiotic treatment significantly reduced mold and yeast counts compared to the control group. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Recently, edible films have received more consideration as a promising method to enhance the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit. The presence of probiotics in edible films reduces the growth of spoilage microorganisms and improves consumer health. Our findings encourage the application of edible coating incorporated with L. plantarum to design multifunctional foods and preserve the qualities of fresh-cut kiwifruit.

Formulation, development and characterization of a novel functional fruit snack based on fig (Ficus carica L.) coated with sugar-free chocolate

The aim of the present investigation was to explore the possibility of developing a fruit snack formulation based on dried fig powder and chocolate-coated. Dried Fig (Ficus carica L.) powder with a maximum particle size of 354 μm and the lowest compaction force was formulated as the core. Persian gum was prepared at the concentrations of 1.5, 2 and 2.5% and xanthan gum was prepared at the levels of 0.25, 0.39 and 0.54% as the middle layer to the coating of the core. Regarding rheological assessments, sugar-free chocolate containing 29.3% isomalt was selected for the coating of the outer chocolate shell in the entitled snack. Textural analysis showed that coating of the core with hydrocolloids decreased hardness and adhesiveness of the samples (p < 0.05). It was also observed that increasing the xanthan gum and Persian gum concentration led to the reduction of adhesiveness in the snacks (p < 0.05). Coating of cores with hydrocolloids resulted in lower thickness of the chocolate outer shell, as well (p < 0.05). Results of the sensory evaluation tests demonstrated that, the samples with hydrocolloid coating were the most preferred ones by the panelists.

Functionalizing and bio-preserving processed food products via probiotic and synbiotic edible films and coatings

Edible films and coatings constitute an appealing concept of innovative, cost-effective, sustainable and eco-friendly packaging solution for food industry applications. Edible packaging needs to comply with several technological pre-requisites such as mechanical durability, low permeability to water vapor and gases, good optical properties, low susceptibility to chemical or microbiological alterations and neutral sensory profile. Over the past few years, functionalization of edible films and coatings via the inclusion of bioactive compounds (antioxidants, micronutrients, antimicrobials, natural coloring and pigmentation agents) and beneficial living microorganisms has received much attention. As for living microorganisms, probiotic bacterial cells, primarily belonging to the Lactobacilli or Bifidobacteria genera, have been exploited to impart bespoke health and biopreservation benefits to processed food. Given that the health benefit conferring and biopreservation potential of probiotics is dependent on several extrinsic and intrinsic parameters, the development of probiotic and synbiotic edible packaging concepts is a quite challenging task. In the present chapter, we aimed at a timely overview of the technological advances in the field of probiotic, symbiotic and synbiotic edible films and coatings. The individual or combined effects of intrinsic (matrix composition and physical state, pH, dissolved oxygen, water activity, presence of growth stimulants or inhibitors) and extrinsic (film forming method, food processing, storage time and conditions, exposure to gastrointestinal conditions) factors on maintaining the biological activity of probiotic cells were addressed. Moreover, the impact of living cells inclusion on the mechanical, physicochemical and barrier properties of the edible packaging material as well as on the shelf-life and quality of the coated or wrapped food products, were duly discussed.

Edible Films and Coatings Functionalization by Probiotic Incorporation: A Review

Edible coatings and films represent an alternative packaging system characterized by being more environment- and customer-friendly than conventional systems of food protection. Research on edible coatings requires multidisciplinary efforts by food engineers, biopolymer specialists and biotechnologists. Entrapment of probiotic cells in edible films or coatings is a favorable approach that may overcome the limitations linked with the use of bioactive compounds in or on food products. The recognition of several health advantages associated with probiotics ingestion is worldwide accepted and well documented. Nevertheless, due to the low stability of probiotics in the food processing steps, in the food matrices and in the gastrointestinal tract, this kind of encapsulation is of high relevance. The development of new and functional edible packaging may lead to new functional foods. This review will focus on edible coatings and films containing probiotic cells (obtaining techniques, materials, characteristics, and applications) and the innovative entrapment techniques use to obtained such packaging.

Release of health-related compounds during in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion of okara and okara fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum

Okara is a highly perishable by-product remaining after filtration of the smashed soybeans seeds in the production of soymilk. Due to its nutritional value, different approaches have been developed to use it as functional ingredient. Fermentation of okara appears as an interesting strategy to preclude spoilage, providing a more stable matrix to be incorporated in the formulation of functional foods. Okara has antioxidant compounds but the effect of fermentation, and their bioaccessibility still need to be investigated. To achieve this aim, the phenolic compounds (as determined by TPC and TFC assays) and the antioxidant properties (as determined by ABTS ^·+, DPPH ^· , O₂ ^·- assays) of okara and okara fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114 were assessed both before and after exposure to simulated gastro-intestinal conditions. Before digestion, okara showed higher values of TPC and TFC than the fermented counterpart. Although a decrease of TPC and TFC was observed after exposing okara to gastric conditions, no significant differences between okara and fermented okara were detected. No further decrease of TPC were observed in intestinal conditions. Okara showed higher antioxidant activity than fermented okara. There was a considerable decrease in the antioxidant activity for both samples when exposed to gastric and intestinal conditions. A good correlation between TFC and antioxidant activities was detected, suggesting that flavonoids play an important role as antioxidants. As a whole, this work provides a solid support for the stability of phytochemicals along the digestive process of both okara and fermented okara.

Cereal bars functionalized through Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and inulin incorporated in edible coatings of whey protein isolate or alginate

Currently, cereal bars are gaining interest globally because of their nutritionally balanced and convenient nature. One healthy strategy is to add probiotics to cereal bars, to make them a functional food product. So, in this study a cereal bar functionalized with edible coatings of whey protein isolate (WPI) and alginate (ALG) incorporated with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and inulin was developed and evaluated for its consumer acceptability and physicochemical and microbiological properties, throughout 90 days of storage. WPI-coated cereal bars were shown to be the solution that better maintained the level of the incorporated probiotic strain when compared to the ones coated with ALG, throughout storage and throughout in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The physicochemical properties of the bars, namely aw, moisture content, color and texture, were not altered during the storage period. The sensory evaluation showed that coated bars were accepted as well as control bars. Moreover, the consumers appreciated better the odor and flavor of WPI-coated bars than those of ALG-coated bars.

Characterization of Edible Films Based on Alginate or Whey Protein Incorporated with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Prebiotics

Recently, edible films were shown to be an effective strategy for the delivery of functional ingredients, such as probiotics and prebiotics. With that in mind, two soluble fibres (inulin and fructooligosaccharides) were selected as prebiotic elements, in whey protein isolate (WPI) and alginate (ALG) matrices plasticized with glycerol and used for the incorporation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. The results obtained showed that the viability of the B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 probiotic strain was maintained within the minimum threshold (106 CFU/g) necessary to act as a probiotic throughout 60 days of storage at 23 °C. The incorporation of prebiotic compounds improved B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 viability, with inulin showing the best performance, as it maintained the viability at 7.34 log CFU/g. The compositional characteristics (biopolymer type and prebiotics addition) of the film forming solutions had no significant impact upon the viability of the probiotic strain. The incorporation of probiotics and prebiotics did not modify the infrared spectra, revealing that the molecular structure of the films was not modified. The moisture content and water solubility decreased positively in WPI- and ALG-based films with the addition of prebiotics compounds. Overall, the results obtained in this work support the use of WPI films containing inulin as a good strategy to immobilize B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, with potential applications in the development of functional foods.

Physical and Antibacterial Properties of Sodium Alginate-Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose Films Containing Lactococcus lactis

Edible films have gradually become a research focus for food packaging materials due to a variety of benefits, including environmental friendliness, good barrier properties, and good carrying capacity. In this experimental study, we used sodium alginate as a film-forming substrate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose as a modifier, and glycerol as a plasticizer, then Lactococcus lactis was added to film solutions to form bacteriostatic films via the tape casting method. With the addition of Lactococcus lactis, the films did not significantly change thickness, while the transparency decreased and a significant increase in red and yellow hues was observed. Meanwhile, the dispersion of bacterial cells in film solutions destroyed intermolecular interactions in the solutions during film formation and increased the volume of voids in the Lactococcus lactis-containing films, thereby slightly decreasing the tensile strength of the films, but significantly increasing water vapor permeability. Moreover, the films with added Lactococcus lactis showed significant bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus at 4 °C. In a seven-day bacteriostatic test, the films with Lactococcus lactis added at a level of 1.5 g/100 g resulted in a decrease in the viable cell count of Staphylococcus aureus by at least four logarithmic units. This study of Lactococcus lactis-containing films has provided a new method and strategy for antibacterial preservation of foods.

The Functionalization of Nanostructures and Their Potential Applications in Edible Coatings

Nowadays, edible coatings incorporated with nanostructures as systems of controlled release of flavors, colorants and/or antioxidants and antimicrobial substances, also used for thermal and environmental protection of active compounds, represent a gap of opportunity to increase the shelf life of food highly perishable, as well as for the development of new products. These functionalized nanostructures have the benefit of incorporating natural substances obtained from the food industry that are rich in polyphenols, dietary fibers, and antimicrobial substances. In addition, the polymers employed on its preparation, such as polysaccharides, solid lipids and proteins that are low cost and developed through sustainable processes, are friendly to the environment. The objective of this review is to present the materials commonly used in the preparation of nanostructures, the main ingredients with which they can be functionalized and used in the preparation of edible coatings, as well as the advances that these structures have represented when used as controlled release systems, increasing the shelf life and promoting the development of new products that meet the characteristics of functionality for fresh foods ready to eat.

Edible Films and Coatings as Carriers of Living Microorganisms: A New Strategy Towards Biopreservation and Healthier Foods

Edible films and coatings have been extensively studied in recent years due to their unique properties and advantages over more traditional conservation techniques. Edible films and coatings improve shelf life and food quality, by providing a protective barrier against physical and mechanical damage, and by creating a controlled atmosphere and acting as a semipermeable barrier for gases, vapor, and water. Edible films and coatings are produced using naturally derived materials, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, or a mixture of these materials. These films and coatings also offer the possibility of incorporating different functional ingredients such as nutraceuticals, antioxidants, antimicrobials, flavoring, and coloring agents. Films and coatings are also able to incorporate living microorganisms. In the last decade, several works reported the incorporation of bacteria to confer probiotic or antimicrobial properties to these films and coatings. The incorporation of probiotic bacteria in films and coatings allows them to reach the consumers' gut in adequate amounts to confer health benefits to the host, thus creating an added value to the food product. Also, other microorganisms, either bacteria or yeast, can be incorporated into edible films in a biocontrol approach to extend the shelf life of food products. The incorporation of yeasts in films and coatings has been suggested primarily for the control of the postharvest disease. This work provides a comprehensive review of the use of edible films and coatings for the incorporation of living microorganisms, aiming at the biopreservation and probiotic ability of food products.

Probiotic Incorporation in Edible Films and Coatings: Bioactive Solution for Functional Foods

Nowadays, the consumption of food products containing probiotics, has increased worldwide due to concerns regarding healthy diet and wellbeing. This trend has received a lot of attention from the food industries, aiming to produce novel probiotic foods, and from researchers, to improve the existing methodologies for probiotic delivery or to develop and investigate new possible applications. In this sense, edible films and coatings are being studied as probiotic carriers with many applications. There is a wide variety of materials with film-forming ability, possessing different characteristics and subsequently affecting the final product. This manuscript aims to provide significant information regarding probiotics and active/bioactive packaging, to review applications of probiotic edible films and coatings, and to discuss certain limitations of their use as well as the current legislation and future trends.

Stability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG incorporated in edible films: Impact of anionic biopolymers and whey protein concentrate

The incorporation of probiotics and bioactive compounds, via plasticised thin-layered hydrocolloids, within food products has recently shown potential to functionalise and improve the health credentials of processed food. In this study, choice of polymer and the inclusion of whey protein isolate was evaluated for their ability to stabalise live probiotic organisms. Edible films based on low (LSA) and high (HSA) viscosity sodium alginate, low esterified amidated pectin (PEC), kappa-carrageenan/locust bean gum (κ-CAR/LBG) and gelatine (GEL) in the presence or absence of whey protein concentrate (WPC) were shown to be feasible carriers for the delivery of L. rhamnosus GG. Losses of L. rhamnosus GG throughout the drying process ranged from 0.87 to 3.06 log CFU/g for the systems without WPC, losses were significantly reduced to 0 to 1.17 log CFU/g in the presence of WPC. Storage stability (over 25d) of L. rhamnosus GG at both tested temperatures (4 and 25 °C), in descending order, was κ-CAR/LBG > HSA > GEL > LSA = PEC. In addition, supplementation of film forming agents with WPC led to a 1.8- to 6.5-fold increase in shelf-life at 4 °C (calculated on the WHO/FAO minimum requirements of 6 logCFU/g), and 1.6-4.3-fold increase at 25 °C. Furthermore probiotic films based on HSA/WPC and κ-CAR/LBG/WPC blends had both acceptable mechanical and barrier properties.

Okara: A Nutritionally Valuable By-product Able to Stabilize Lactobacillus plantarum during Freeze-drying, Spray-drying, and Storage

Okara is a nutritionally valuable by-product produced in large quantities as result of soymilk elaboration. This work proposes its use as both culture and dehydration medium during freeze-drying, spray-drying, and storage of Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114. Whole and defatted okara were employed as culture media for L. plantarum CIDCA 83114. The growth kinetics were followed by plate counting and compared with those of bacteria grown in MRS broth (control). No significant differences in plate counting were observed in the three media. The fatty acid composition of bacteria grown in whole and defatted okara showed a noticeable increase in the unsaturated/saturated (U/S) fatty acid ratio, with regard to bacteria grown in MRS. This change was mainly due to the increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely C18:2. For dehydration assays, cultures in the stationary phase were neutralized and freeze-dried (with or without the addition of 250 mM sucrose) or spray-dried. Bacteria were plate counted immediately after freeze-drying or spray-drying and during storage at 4°C for 90 days. Freeze-drying in whole okara conducted to the highest bacterial recovery. Regarding storage, spray-dried bacteria previously grown in whole and defatted okara showed higher plate counts than those grown in MRS. On the contrary, freeze-dried bacteria previously grown in all the three culture media were those with the lowest plate counts. The addition of sucrose to the dehydration media improved their recovery. The higher recovery of microorganisms grown in okara after freeze-drying and spray-drying processes and during storage was ascribed to both the presence of fiber and proteins in the dehydration media, and the increase in U/S fatty acids ratio in bacterial membranes. The obtained results support for the first time the use of okara as an innovative matrix to deliver L. plantarum. Considering that okara is an agro-waste obtained in large quantities, these results represent an innovative strategy to add it value, providing a symbiotic ingredient with promising industrial applications in the development of novel functional foods and feeds.