Influences of encapsulated polyphosphate incorporation on oxidative stability and quality characteristics of ready to eat beef Döner kebab during storage

Hexametaphosphate, a Common Food Additive, Aggregated the Hen Egg White Lysozyme

Polyphosphate polymers are chains of phosphate monomers chemically bonded together via phosphoanhydride bonds. They are found in all prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and are among the earliest, most anionic, and most mysterious molecules known. They are everywhere, from small cellular components to additives in our food. There is a strong association between hyperphosphatemia and mortality. That is why it is crucial to assess how polyphosphates, as food additives, affect the quality of edible proteins. This study investigated the effect of inexpensive and widely used food additives (hexametaphosphate labeled as E452) on bakery items, meat products, fish, and soft drinks. Using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, we examined how hexametaphosphate affected the aggregation propensity, structure, and stability of a commonly used food protein: hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). The solubility of HEWL is affected in a bimodal fashion by the concentration of hexametaphosphate. The bimodal concentration-dependent effect was also observed in the tertiary and secondary structural changes. Hexametaphosphate-induced HEWL aggregates were amorphous, as evidenced by ThT fluorescence, far-UV CD, and TEM imaging. This study showed that the food additive (hexametaphosphate) may denature and aggregate proteins and may lead to undesirable health issues.

Characterization of the Volatile Compounds of Zhenba Bacon at Different Process Stages Using GC-MS and GC-IMS

Zhenba bacon (ZB), a type of Chinese traditional bacon with a long history, has attracted considerable attention in the Southwest of China for its unique flavor. To elucidate the changing course of aroma components during the process of ZB, four stages of process stages were assessed by GC-MS and GC-IMS coupled with multivariate data analysis. A total of 44 volatile compounds were identified by GC-IMS, including 5 esters, 8 alcohols, 12 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 1 furan and 2 sulfides; 40 volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS, 4 ketones, 7 phenols, 8 alcohols, 6 esters, 6 aldehydes, and 6 other compounds were detected. During the curing period, the amount and content of esters in Zhenba bacon gradually increased. Phenols appear in large quantities during the smoking period. The VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the gallery plots were the most diverse in YZ samples, which are mainly esters. POV (peroxide value) and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) showed that lipid oxidation played an important role in the formation of volatile flavor components of bacon. This study provides valuable analytical data to explain the flavor formation of Zhenba bacon.