A review: Modified agricultural by-products for the development and fortification of food products and nutraceuticals

Textured soy protein with meat odor as an ingredient for improving the sensory quality of meat analog and soy burger

Even with the growing consumption of plant-based products, the consumption of soy-based products is still a limitation due to the off-flavor of soy. Thus, two studies were performed using textured soy protein (TSP) with meat odor as meat analog and as soy burger. TSP with meat odor was produced by adding thiamine (aroma precursor) to soy protein concentrate (SPC) before extrusion. Three TSP were used in each study: one without thiamine and two with thiamine but with different moisture contents of the SPC. TSP with thiamine did not affect technological or physical properties of the products. For meat analogs, the samples with thiamine showed greater odor acceptance and greater intensities of meat odor, burnt aftertaste, and aromatic in relation to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy odor. For soy burgers, the samples with thiamine had higher acceptances of odor and flavor and overall acceptance, and higher intensities of chicken odor and aromatic in comparison to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy/vegetable odor. The use of TSP with thiamine raises the sensory quality of meat analogue and soy burger, being an interesting alternative in obtaining soy-based products with lower soy odor.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05875-0.

Trends and challenges of fruit by-products utilization: insights into safety, sensory, and benefits of the use for the development of innovative healthy food: a review

A significant portion of the human diet is comprised of fruits, which are consumed globally either raw or after being processed. A huge amount of waste and by-products such as skins, seeds, cores, rags, rinds, pomace, etc. are being generated in our homes and agro-processing industries every day. According to previous statistics, nearly half of the fruits are lost or discarded during the entire processing chain. The concern arises when those wastes and by-products damage the environment and simultaneously cause economic losses. There is a lot of potential in these by-products for reuse in a variety of applications, including the isolation of valuable bioactive ingredients and their application in developing healthy and functional foods. The development of novel techniques for the transformation of these materials into marketable commodities may offer a workable solution to this waste issue while also promoting sustainable economic growth from the bio-economic viewpoint. This approach can manage waste as well as add value to enterprises. The goal of this study is twofold based on this scenario. The first is to present a brief overview of the most significant bioactive substances found in those by-products. The second is to review the current status of their valorization including the trends and techniques, safety assessments, sensory attributes, and challenges. Moreover, specific attention is drawn to the future perspective, and some solutions are discussed in this report.

Determination of Polyphenolic Profile of Apple Pomace (Malus domestica Golden Delicious Variety) by HPLC-MS

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh) is an appreciated source of polyphenols. Phenolic compounds are known as natural antioxidants and have a wide range of applications in different industries. Apple pomace has the potential of being an alternative source of polyphenols. To determine the polyphenolic profile of apple pomace, samples from the skin at two different stages of ripening were extracted with 80-20% EtOH-water/acetic acid 5% (S1) and 20-80% EtOH-water/acetic acid 5% (S2) in order to determine the solvent system. Ripe skins extracted with S1 showed a higher total polyphenol content or TPC (1.21 g of polyphenols per 100 g of fresh weight (FW)) than unripe apple skin, being the most effective system tested and a mean degree of polymerization of 2.47. Commercial apple pomace was extracted with S1, resulting in a TPC of 0.5615 ± 0.007 g of polyphenols per 100 g of FW. Meanwhile, the RP-HPLC-MS analysis led to the tentative identification of several polyphenolic compounds.

Oscillatoria sancta Cultivation Using Fruit and Vegetable Waste Formulated Media and Its Potential as a Functional Food: Assessment of Cultivation Optimization

The most cost-effective technique to cultivate microalgae is with low-cost resources, like fruit and vegetable peels. This study examined the viability of culturing microalgae (Oscillatoria sancta PCC 7515) isolated from a waterlogged region of Punjab, India, in a low-cost medium (fruit and vegetable waste peels) for pharmaceutical use. 16S rRNA sequencing discovered O. sancta PCC 7515. Fruit and vegetable peels were mineralized and chemically analyzed. At a 5% Bacillus flexus concentration, fruit and vegetable peels were liquefied at room temperature for 24 h. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to assess and improve important cultural variables. The RSM predicted the best results at 10 pH, 30 days of incubation, 5% inoculum concentration, and 5% fruit and vegetable waste liquid leachate. The optimum conditions yielded more biomass than the basal conditions (0.8001 g/L). O. sancta PCC 7515 produced more lipids, proteins, Chl a, and Chl b in a formulated alternate medium than standard media. This study shows that O. sancta PCC 7515 may thrive on fruit and vegetable peel media. Fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) media assure low-cost microalgae-based functional foods.

Risk Assessment of Chlorogenic and Isochlorogenic Acids in Coffee By-Products

Chlorogenic and isochlorogenic acids are naturally occurring antioxidant dietary polyphenolic compounds found in high concentrations in plants, fruits, vegetables, coffee, and coffee by-products. The objective of this review was to assess the potential health risks associated with the oral consumption of coffee by-products containing chlorogenic and isochlorogenic acids, considering both acute and chronic exposure. An electronic literature search was conducted, revealing that 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DCQA) are the major chlorogenic acids found in coffee by-products. Toxicological, pharmacokinetic, and clinical data from animal and human studies were available for the assessment, which indicated no significant evidence of toxic or adverse effects following acute oral exposure. The current state of knowledge suggests that long-term exposure to chlorogenic and isochlorogenic acids by daily consumption does not appear to pose a risk to human health when observed at doses within the normal range of dietary exposure. As a result, the intake of CQAs from coffee by-products can be considered reasonably safe.

Side Streams of Vegetable Processing and Its Bioactive Compounds Support Microbiota, Intestine Milieu, and Immune System

The industry of vegetable processing generates large amounts of by-products, which often emerge seasonally and are susceptible to microbial degradation. Inadequate management of this biomass results in the loss of valuable compounds that are found in vegetable by-products that can be recovered. Considering the possibility of using waste, scientists are trying to reuse discarded biomass and residues to create a product of higher value than those processed. The by-products from the vegetable industry can provide an added source of fibre, essential oils, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and bioactive compounds, such as phenolics. Many of these compounds have bioactive properties, such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity, which could be used, especially in the prevention or treatment of lifestyle diseases connected with the intestinal milieu, including dysbiosis and immune-mediated diseases resulting in inflammation. This review summarises the key aspects of the health-promoting value of by-products and their bioactive compounds derived from fresh or processed biomass and extracts. In this paper, the relevance of side streams as a source of beneficial compounds with the potential for promoting health is considered, particularly their impact on the microbiota, immune system, and gut milieu because all of these fields interact closely to affect host nutrition, prevent chronic inflammation, and provide resistance to some pathogens.

Biomolecules from Macroalgae-Nutritional Profile and Bioactives for Novel Food Product Development

Seaweed is in the spotlight as a promising source of nutrition for humans as the search for sustainable food production systems continues. Seaweed has a well-documented rich nutritional profile containing compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids and polysaccharides as well as proteins, fatty acids and minerals. Seaweed processing for the extraction of functional ingredients such as alginate, agar, and carrageenan is well-established. Novel pretreatments such as ultrasound assisted extraction or high-pressure processing can be incorporated to more efficiently extract these targeted ingredients. The scope of products that can be created using seaweed are wide ranging: from bread and noodles to yoghurt and milk and even as an ingredient to enhance the nutritional profile and stability of meat products. There are opportunities for food producers in this area to develop novel food products using seaweed. This review paper discusses the unique properties of seaweed as a food, the processes involved in seaweed aquaculture, and the products that can be developed from this marine biomass. Challenges facing the industry such as consumer hesitation around seaweed products, the safety of seaweed, and processing hurdles will also be discussed.

Cytotoxicity Assessment and Nutritional Profiling of Bio-Active Compounds Obtained from Food Waste

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the properties of by-products obtained from the oil industry, to identify the content of bioactive compounds and to test the safety of their reintroduction in the food industry. Three sunflower meals obtained after cold-pressing of whole (WSM), partially dehulled (PSM) and total dehulled (TSM) sunflower seeds were used. A higher protein, ash and fiber content was obtained for WSM, followed by PSM, and TSM meals. Conversely, the lipid content was higher in TSM and PSM, and lower in WSM meals. Sunflower meals are important sources of unsaturated fatty acids (more linoleic than oleic acid), the content ranging between 82.74 and 86.72%. Additionally, sunflower meals represent a significant source of compounds with antioxidant activity. TSM showed the highest concentration of total polyphenols and total flavonoids, while WSM the lowest. The values of antioxidant activity were higher for TSM compared to PSM and WSM. The weak cytotoxic activity at concentrations lower than 6.25 mg/mL, as well as cell viability which is not affected by the action of PSM and TSM but even increases in the case of WSM, give sunflower meals the potential to be added as ingredients in the production of functional foods.

Utilizing Nutritional and Polyphenolic Compounds in Underutilized Plant Seeds for Health Application

Plants represent a significant part of the human diet. Humans have utilized every part of plants for survival, and seeds are no exception. Seeds offer high protein, unsaturated fats, fibre, essential vitamins, and minerals for various food applications. They are also a promising reservoir of bioactive compounds, where various phytochemicals, such as polyphenolic compounds, capable of maintaining and improving well-being, are present in abundant quantities. Plants from Malvaceae and Cannabaceae families are known for their fibre-rich stems that benefit humankind by serving numerous purposes. For many centuries they have been exploited extensively for various commercial and industrial uses. Their seeds, which are often regarded as a by-product of fibre processing, have been scientifically discovered to have an essential role in combating hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, cancer, and oxidative stress. Maximizing the use of these agricultural wastes can be a promising approach to creating a more sustainable world, in accordance with the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Agro-Industrial Fruit Byproducts as Health-Promoting Ingredients Used to Supplement Baked Food Products

One of the biggest problems faced by food industries is the generation of large amounts of agro-industrial byproducts, such as those derived from fruit processing, as well as the negative effects of their inadequate management. Approximately 1/3 of the food produced worldwide is unused or is otherwise wasted along the chain, which represents a burden on the environment and an inefficiency of the system. Thus, there is growing interest in reintroducing agro-industrial byproducts (both from fruits and other sources) into the processing chain, either by adding them as such or utilizing them as sources of health-promoting bioactive compounds. The present work discusses recent scientific studies on the nutritional and bioactive composition of some agro-industrial byproducts derived from fruit processing, their applications as ingredients to supplement baked foods, and their main biological activities on the consumer’s health. Research shows that agro-industrial fruit byproducts can be incorporated into various baked foods, increasing their fiber content, bioactive profile, and antioxidant capacity, in addition to other positive effects such as reducing their glycemic impact and inducing satiety, all while maintaining good sensory acceptance. Using agro-industrial fruit byproducts as food ingredients avoids discarding them; it can promote some bioactivities and maintain or even improve sensory acceptance. This contributes to incorporating edible material back into the processing chain as part of a circular bioeconomy, which can significantly benefit primary producers, processing industries (particularly smaller ones), and the final consumer.

Review on nutraceuticals: phase transition from preventive to protective care

Nutraceuticals are essential for healthcare which is an alternative medicine that has gained popularity in recent years. Nutraceuticals consist of nutrients, herbals, and dietary supplements, which make them useful in preserving and promoting health, fighting illness, and improving overall quality of life. Its success or failure will be determined by its rapid expansion, research advances, lack of standards, marketing enthusiasm, quality assurance, and regulations. Nutraceuticals have been used in different regions under different names/categories. however, globally there are no stringent pharmaceutical standards for nutraceutical health products till date, but slowly regulators are paying attention on it. Nutraceuticals can be broadly classified according to it clinical significance, source and therapeutic effects. Nutraceuticals and functional foods have grown to be a multibillion-dollar business worldwide in recent years and personalization is the emerging approach to deliver the best therapeutic effect in future. This review carries extensive information about nutraceutical history, classification, regulatory aspects and industrial perspective.

Life cycle assessment of rice bran oil production: a case study in China

Environmental problems caused by the food processing industry have always been one of the concerns for the public. Herein, for the first time, a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to evaluate the environmental impact of rice bran oil production. Four subsystems, namely, transportation of the raw rice bran to oil factory, crude oil extraction, oil refining, and oil storage, were established. The product sustainability software GaBi and the method CML 2001-Jan. 2016 were used to calculate and analyze the environmental burdens at each stage of the rice bran oil production chain. The results show the oil refining stage had the greatest environmental impact, followed by the oil extraction stage. High demands for coal and electricity make a critical difference in generating vast majority of environmental impacts. Modifying the electricity source and replacing traditional fuels with cleaner ones will do bring benefits to the sustainable development of the industry.

Recent Advances Regarding the Physiological Functions and Biosynthesis of D-Allulose

D-Allulose, a generally regarded as safe (GRAS) sugar, is rare in nature. It is among the most promising sweeteners for future use due to its low caloric content, sucrose-like taste, and unique functions. D-Allulose has many physiological effects, such as antiobesity, antihyperglycemia, antidiabetes, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, D-allulose has important application value in the food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries. However, the high cost of D-allulose production limits its large-scale application. Currently, biotransformation is very attractive for D-allulose synthesis, with the two main methods of biosynthesis being the Izumoring strategy and the DHAP-dependent aldolase strategy. This article reviews recent advances regarding the physiological functions and biosynthesis of D-allulose. In addition, future perspectives on the production of D-allulose are presented.

New alternatives from sustainable sources to wheat in bakery foods: Science, technology, and challenges

Ongoing research in the food industry is striving to replace wheat flour with new alternatives from sustainable sources to overcome the disease burden in the existing population. Celiac disease, wheat allergy, gluten sensitivity, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity are some common disorders associated with gluten present in wheat. These scientific findings are crucial to finding appropriate alternatives in introducing new ingredients supporting the consumer's requirements. Among the alternatives, amaranth, barley, coconut, chestnut, maize, millet, teff, oat, rye, sorghum, soy, rice flour, and legumes could be considered appropriate due to their chemical composition, bioactive profile, and alternatives utilization in the baking industry. Furthermore, the enrichment of these alternatives with proper ingredients is considered effective. Literature demonstrated that the flours from these alternative sources significantly enhanced the physicochemical, pasting, and rheological properties of the doughs. These flours boost a significant reduction in gluten proteins associated with food intolerance, in comparison with wheat highlighting a visible market opportunity with nutritional and organoleptic benefits for food producers. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: New alternatives from sustainable sources to wheat in bakery foods as an approach that affects human health. Alternatives from sustainable sources are important source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Alternatives from sustainable sources are rising due to nutritional and consumer demand in bakery industry. New alternatives from sustainable sources improve physicochemical, pasting, and rheological properties of dough. Non-wheat-based foods from non-traditional grains have a potential to increase consumer market acceptance.

Challenges and solutions of extracting value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products: a review

Every year, huge amounts of fruit and vegetable by-products in the food processing factories are produced. These by-products have great potential to be used for different targets especially the extraction of value-added ingredients. The target of this study is to review the challenges of extraction of value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products on the industrial scale and to describe current trends in solving these problems. In addition, some strategies such as multi-component extraction as well as application of fermentation before or after the extraction process, and production of biofuel, organic fertilizers, animal feeds, etc. on final residues after extraction of value-added ingredients are discussed in this review paper. In fact, simultaneous extraction of different value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products can increase the extraction efficiency and reduce the cost of value-added ingredients as well as the final volume of these by-products. After extraction of value-added ingredients, the residues can be used to produce biofuels, or they can be used to produce organic fertilizers, animal feeds, etc. Therefore, the application of several appropriate strategies to treat the fruit and vegetable by-products can increase their application, protect the environment, and improve the food economy.

Lipid oxidation and antioxidant delivery systems in muscle food

Lipid oxidation accelerates quality deterioration in muscle-based foods (fish, red meat, and poultry), resulting in off-odors/flavors, color problems, texture defects, and safety concerns. Adding antioxidants is one approach to control lipid oxidation, and several delivery strategies have been applied, such as supplementing antioxidants to the feed, direct mixing into minces, or, for whole muscle pieces; spraying, glazing, and injection. However, some issues linked to these technologies hinder their wide utilization, such as low effectiveness, noncompatibility with clean label, and off-flavor. These shortcomings have promoted the development of new antioxidant delivery technologies. In this review, the main focus is on the principles, characteristics, and implementation of five novel antioxidant delivery methods in different types of muscle food products. Their advantages and drawbacks are also summarized, plus comments about future trends in this area. Among novel routes to deliver antioxidants to muscle foods are, for whole tissues, recyclable dipping solutions; for minces, encapsulation; and, for both minces and whole tissues, cross-processing with nonmuscle antioxidant-containing raw materials as well as applications of edible films/coatings and active packaging. Advantages of these technologies comprise, for example, low price, the possibility to control the antioxidant release rate, overcoming strong aromas from natural antioxidants, and allowing antioxidant-containing raw materials from the food industry to be valorized, providing an opportunity for more circular food production.

Engineering conversion of Asteraceae plants into biochars for exploring potential applications: A review

Asteraceae presents one of the most globally prevalent, cultivated, and fundamental plant families. However, a large amount of agricultural wastes has been yearly released from Asteraceae crops, causing adverse impacts on the environment. The objective of this work is to have insights into their biomass potentials and technical possibility of conversion into biochars. Physicochemical properties are systematically articulated to orientate environmental application, soil amendment, and other utilizations. Utilizations of Asteraceae biochars in wastewater treatment can be categorized by heavy metal ions, organic dyes, antibiotics, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and explosive compounds. Some efforts were made to analyze the production cost, as well as the challenges and prospects of Asteraceae-based biochars.

Natural Bioactive Compounds from Food Waste: Toxicity and Safety Concerns

Although synthetic bioactive compounds are approved in many countries for food applications, they are becoming less and less welcome by consumers. Therefore, there has been an increasing interest in replacing these synthetic compounds by natural bioactive compounds. These natural compounds can be used as food additives to maintain the food quality, food safety and appeal, and as food supplements or nutraceuticals to correct nutritional deficiencies, maintain a suitable intake of nutrients, or to support physiological functions, respectively. Recent studies reveal that numerous food wastes, particularly fruit and vegetables byproducts, are a good source of bioactive compounds that can be extracted and reintroduced into the food chain as natural food additives or in food matrices for obtaining nutraceuticals and functional foods. This review addresses general questions concerning the use of fruit and vegetables byproducts as new sources of natural bioactive compounds that are being addressed to foods as natural additives and supplements. Those bioactive compounds must follow the legal requirements and evaluations to assess the risks for human health and their toxicity must be considered before being launched into the market. To overcome the potential health risk while increasing the biological activity, stability and biodistribution of the supplements' technological alternatives have been studied such as encapsulation of bioactive compounds into micro or nanoparticles or nanoemulsions. This will allow enhancing the stability and release along the gastrointestinal tract in a controlled manner into the specific tissues. This review summarizes the valorization path that a bioactive compound recovered from an agro-food waste can face from the moment their potentialities are exhibited until it reaches the final consumer and the safety and toxicity challenges, they may overcome.

Investigation of the anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of wheat bread supplemented with onion peel extract and onion powder in diabetic rats

AIM

Onion is one of the commonly cultivated and consumed vegetables rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. Various nutraceuticals are found in the outer fleshy layers and dry peel of onion which usually is treated as a common biowaste. Diabetes mellitus is a leading non communicable disease causing hyperglycemia and increased production of free radicals that potentially disrupts antioxidant enzymatic activity. Considering global consumption of wheat, the present study was designed to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of wheat bread supplemented with onion peel extract (OPE) or onion powder (OP) on diabetic rats.

METHODS

In this study, ethanolic extract of onion peel and onion bulb were prepared separately. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 7). Different regimens of supplemented wheat bread (OPE (1% and 3%) and OP (5% and 7%)) were given to diabetic rats for eight weeks, plain bread was used as the control. Blood glucose level, body weight and activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GSH and MDA in the liver and kidney tissues were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version (25) and Dunnett's multiple comparison test.

RESULTS

Bread supplemented with 1% and 3% onion peel extract and 7% onion powder significantly reduced blood glucose levels and MDA in the treated rats compared with the control group diabetic rats. Body weight of diabetic rats was reduced for control group, while onion supplemented diet improved the body weight of treated rats. Onion supplementation also brought significant improvement in antioxidant enzyme activities among the treated diabetic rats.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggested that onion supplementation is effective in lowering blood glucose and could potentially aid in protecting organs from oxidative stress.

Olive oil and oleic acid-based self nano-emulsifying formulation of omega-3-fatty acids with improved strength, stability, and therapeutics

AIM

To develop, characterise, and optimise SNEDDS formulation to enhance organoleptics, bioavailability, physical & oxidative-stability, and extend shelf-life of pure Ω-3-fatty acids oil for use in the food fortification industry as nutraceuticals.

METHODS

SNEDDS formulations were prepared using a simple stirring technique and optimised based on in-vitro characterisation.

RESULTS

The optimised SNEDDS formulation (F3) had a mean diameter of 52.9 ± 0.4 nm, PDI of 0.229 ± 0.02, zeta potential of -17.3 ± 0.1 mV, cloud temperature of 92 ± 0.2 °C, self-emulsification time of 50 ± 0.2 sec, and stable under accelerated stability conditions. Intestinal permeability study on rat ileum depicted absorption of 88.5 ± 0.2% DHA at 5 h for F3 formulation in comparison to 61.5 ± 0.2% for commercial counterpart. F3 formulation exhibited better therapeutics for melamine-induced cognitive dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed Ω-3-loaded SNEDDS heralds the future for an efficacious, safer, and higher strength formulation intended as a better substitute for currently available formulations.

Relationships between Structure and Antioxidant Capacity and Activity of Glycosylated Flavonols

The antioxidant capacity (AC) and antioxidant activity (AA) of three flavonols (FLV), aglycones and their glycosylated derivatives were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays in various solvents. Findings confirmed that the glycosylation at the 3-position (3-glycosylation) always decreased the AC under most conditions due to substitution of the 3-position hydroxyl group and glycoside disruption in the molecular planarity. The 7-glycosylated derivatives did not have the above effects, thus generally exhibited ACs similar to their aglycones. Glycosylation decreased the AA of kaempferol and isorhamnetin for both assays in methanol, 3-glycosylation inhibited quercetin AA in the ABTS assay. In the DPPH assay, the AA of 3-glycosylated quercetin was significantly higher than quercetin. Using LC–MS/MS analysis, we found that quercetin and quercetin-7-glucoside underwent dimerization during the antioxidant reaction, potentially leading to a decline in AAs. However, 3-glycoside substitution may have hindered dimer formation, thereby allowing the FLVs to retain strong free radical scavenging abilities.

Overcoming bread quality decay concerns: main issues for bread shelf life as a function of biological leavening agents and different extra ingredients used in formulation. A review

As is widely accepted, the quality decay of freshly baked bread that affects product shelf life is the result of a complex multifactorial process that involves physical staling, together with microbiological, chemical and sensorial spoilage. In this context, this paper provides a critical review of the recent literature about the main factors affecting shelf life of bread during post-baking. An overview of the recent findings about the mechanism of bread staling is firstly provided. Afterwards, the effect on staling induced by baker's yeasts and sourdough as well as by the extra ingredients commonly utilized for bread fortification is also addressed and discussed. As inclusion/exclusion criteria, only papers dealing with wheat bread and not with long-life bread or gluten-free bakery products are taken into consideration. Despite recent developments in international scientific literature, the whole mechanism that induces bread staling is far from being completely understood and the best analytical methods to be adopted to measure and/or describe in depth this process appear still debated. In this topic, the effects induced on bread shelf life by the use of biological leavening agents (baker's yeasts and sourdough) as well as by some extra ingredients included in the bread recipe have been individuated as two key issues to be addressed and discussed in terms of their influence on the kinetics of bread staling. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Food irradiation: a promising technology to produce hypoallergenic food with high quality

The increasing incidence of food allergy cases is a public health problem of global concern. Producing hypoallergenic foods with high quality, low cost, and eco-friendly is a new trend for the food industry in the coming decades. Food irradiation, a non-thermal food processing technology, is a powerful tool to reduce the allergenicity with the above advantages. This review presents a summary of recent studies about food irradiation to reduce the allergenicity of food, including shellfish, soy, peanut, milk, tree nut, egg, wheat and fish. Principles of food irradiation, including mechanisms of allergenicity-reduction, irradiation types and characteristics, are discussed. Specific effects of food irradiation are also evaluated, involving microbial decontamination, improvement or preservation of nutritional value, harmful substances reduction of food products. Furthermore, the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of food irradiation are analyzed. It is concluded that food irradiation is a safety tool to reduce the allergenicity of food effectively, with high nutritional value and long shelf-life, making it a competitive alternative technology to traditional techniques such as heating treatments. Of note, a combination of irradiation with additional processing may be a trend for food irradiation.

Utilization of Food Processing By-products in Extrusion Processing: A Review

The processing of agricultural products into value-added food products yields numerous by-products or waste streams such as pomace (fruit and vegetable processing), hull/bran (grain milling), meal/cake (oil extraction), bagasse (sugar processing), brewer's spent grain (brewing), cottonseed meal (cotton processing), among others. In the past, significant work in exploring the possibility of the utilization of these by-products has been performed. Most by-products are highly nutritious and can be excellent low-cost sources of dietary fiber, proteins, and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, antioxidants, and vitamins. The amount of energy utilized for the disposal of these materials is far less than the energy required for the purification of these materials for valorization. Thus, in many cases, these materials go to waste or landfill. Studies have been conducted to incorporate the by-products into different foods in order to promote their utilization and tackle their environmental impacts. Extrusion processing can be an excellent avenue for the utilization of these by-products in foods. Extrusion is a widely used thermo-mechanical process due to its versatility, flexibility, high production rate, low cost, and energy efficiency. Extruded products such as direct-expanded products, breakfast cereals, and pasta have been developed by researchers using agricultural by-products. The different by-products have a wide range of characteristics in terms of chemical composition and functional properties, affecting the final products in extrusion processing. For the practical applications of these by-products in extrusion, it is crucial to understand their impacts on the qualities of raw material blends and extruded products. This review summarizes the general differences in the properties of food by-products from different sources (proximate compositions, physicochemical properties, and functional properties) and how these properties and the extrusion processing conditions influence the product characteristics. The discussion of the by-product properties and their impacts on the extrudates and their nutritional profile can be useful for food manufacturers and researchers to expand their applications. The gaps in the literature have been highlighted for further research and better utilization of by-products with extrusion processing.

Oilseed crop sunflower (Helianthus annuus) as a source of food: Nutritional and health benefits

The use of biofertilizers in developing environmentally friendly agriculture as an alternative to chemical-based fertilizers in enhancing food production is promising in sustainable agriculture for the improvement in the yield of some commercial crops such as sunflowers and other oilseed crops in terms of quality and quantity. Sunflower is an important oilseed crop native to South America and currently cultivated throughout the world. Generally, the sunflower is considered important based on its nutritional and medicinal value. Due to its beneficial health effects, sunflower has been recognized as functional foods or nutraceutical, although not yet fully harnessed. Sunflower contains mineral elements and phytochemicals such as dietary fiber, manganese, vitamins, tocopherols, phytosterols, triterpene glycosides, α-tocopherol, glutathione reductase, flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, peptides, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins; and these compounds contribute to their functional and nutraceutical development. The extract from sunflower is known to be a potential source of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidants agents that protect human cells against harmful reactive oxygen molecules and pathogenic microorganisms. Also, the pharmacological survey on sunflower had revealed its curative power to different kinds of diseases. The health benefits of sunflower include blood pressure and diabetic control, skin protection, and lowering cholesterol and other functions. This review is written with appropriate referencing to previously published work and provides updated information regarding the new method of organic farming for sunflower production, nutritional and health benefits, and its by-products as human diet and livestock feed. Also, the constraints of sunflower production are elucidated.

Effect of Prickly Pear Cactus Peel Supplementation on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility and Rumen Fermentation of Sheep and the Maternal Effects on Growth and Physiological Performance of Suckling Offspring

Simple Summary

The agricultural byproducts commonly used as a feedstuff depend on their high abundance and the nutritional composition. Moreover, several agricultural byproducts are a valuable source of active ingredients, which could be used as feed supplements to improve the quality of formulated diets and animal performance. The present study evaluated the use of prickly pear cactus peels (Opuntia ficus-indica, PPCP) as an agricultural byproduct rich with phytochemicals in the diet of lactating Barki ewes at two doses (5 and 10 g/head/day). Supplementation with 5 g PPCP improves the milk production and composition of ewes. The maternal effect of supplementation of both doses of PPCP in the diets of lactating Barki ewes has been successful to improve the serum lipid profile, kidney function, hormonal and antioxidant status of their suckling lambs. Moreover, supplementation with 5 g PPCP improves the nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters in the sheep.

Abstract

Prickly pear cactus peels (Opuntia ficus-indica, PPCP) are sustainable byproducts available in arid regions and a rich source of antioxidants. Fifteen multiparous Barki ewes (2–3 years old, 46.94 ± 0.59 kg body weight, BW) at postpartum were individually distributed in three equal groups and fed diets supplemented with PPCP at doses of 0, 5 and 10 g/head/day. Lambs were individually distributed into three equal groups according to their mothers’ groups to investigate the maternal effect on lambs’ growth performance, hematology and serum metabolites. This trial lasted for 56 days from birth to weaning. Moreover, nine adult male Barki sheep with a live BW of 65.76 ± 0.54 kg were randomly allocated into three equal groups to determine the effect of PPCP on the nutrient digestibility of the experimental diets. The results indicate that supplementing PPCP at low levels (5 g/head/day) increased milk yield (p = 0.050), fat-corrected milk (p = 0.022), energy-corrected milk (p = 0.015) and the yield of milk constituents compared to 10 g PPCP and the control group. In addition, lambs suckling from ewes fed the diet supplemented with 5 g PPCP had a higher (p = 0.001) weaning BW compared to other groups. Serum total protein, globulin, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities and the triiodothyronine hormone improved significantly in lambs suckling from ewes fed diets supplemented with 5 g PPCP compared to the control group. Serum cholesterol profile and kidney activities were enhanced significantly in lambs suckling from ewes fed diets supplemented with 5 and 10 g of PPCP compared to the control group. The dietary supplementation of 5 g PPCP improved the crude protein digestibility, digestible crude protein value, nitrogen balance and rumen fermentation characteristics of male sheep compared to the control group. In conclusion, supplementation with 5 g PPCP improved ewes’ milk production, offspring growth and physiological status. Furthermore, it improved the crude protein digestibility and rumen fermentation characteristics of Barki sheep.

Effect of the Leavening Agent on the Compositional and Sensorial Characteristics of Bread Fortified with Flaxseed Cake

Health and well-being improvement is currently driving innovation in bread, using a wide variety of value-added compounds as extra ingredients, including food industry by-products in a circular economy concept. In this context, this research aimed at evaluating the effect of the fortification of bread with different percentages of flaxseed cake, comparing two leavening agents: sourdough and baker’s yeast. Sensorial, physicochemical, and nutritional properties, including pH, the main fermentative metabolites, fatty acids, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, and volatile organic compounds were determined for fortified bread. The results showed a significant improvement of nutraceutical profile of the bread fortified with flaxseed cake in a dose-dependent manner. Regardless of the leavening agent, the fortification determined a decrease of n-6:n-3 ratio, reaching the recommended value (<3) already at the 7.5% level. Furthermore, under the same fortification level, sourdough breads showed a higher level of total phenols and antiradical activity than baker’s yeast breads. Sensory profiles were instead deeply influenced by both the fortification percentage and the leavening agents. In conclusion, considering both nutritional and sensory results, the best formulation as a function of leavening agent utilized was defined as 5% and 7.5% when sourdough and baker’s yeast were used, respectively.

Expanding the Role of Sub-Exploited DOE-High Energy Extraction and Metabolomic Profiling towards Agro-Byproduct Valorization: The Case of Carotenoid-Rich Apricot Pulp

Traditional extraction remains the method-of-choice for phytochemical analyses. However, the absence of an integrated analytical platform, focusing on customized, validated extraction steps, generates tendentious and non-reproducible data regarding the phytochemical profile. Such a platform would also support the exploration and exploitation of plant byproducts, which are a valuable source of bioactive metabolites. This study deals with the incorporation of (a) the currently sub-exploited high energy extraction methods (ultrasound (UAE)- and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)), (b) experimental design (DOE), and (c) metabolomics, in an integrated analytical platform for the extensive study of plant metabolomics and phytochemical profiling. The recovery of carotenoids from apricot by-products (pulp) is examined as a case study. MAE, using ethanol as solvent, achieved higher carotenoid yields compared to UAE, where 1:1 chloroform-methanol was employed, and classic extraction. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic profiling classified extracts according to the variations in co-extractives in relation to the extraction conditions. Extracts with a lower carotenoid content contained branched-chain amino acids as co-extractives. Medium carotenoid content extracts contained choline, unsaturated fatty acids, and sugar alcohols, while the highest carotenoid extracts were also rich in sugars. Overall, the proposed pipeline can provide different the phytochemical fractions of bioactive compounds according to the needs of different industrial sectors (cosmetics, nutraceuticals, etc.).

A Pilot Screening of Agro-Food Waste Products as Sources of Nutraceutical Formulations to Improve Simulated Postprandial Glycaemia and Insulinaemia in Healthy Subjects

The control of glucose homeostasis is the main goal for both the prevention and management of diabetes and pre-diabetes. Numerous drugs are available, despite their side effects. This is constantly leading people to be inclined to natural alternative treatments. Evidence indicates antioxidant-based nutraceuticals as an optimal tool for the glycaemic control. Currently, a great interest has been focused on the valorisation of agro-food by-products as sources of bioactive compounds including polyphenols. In this sense, we tested the efficacy of novel nutraceutical products based on polyphenolic extract from nectarines (NecP), tomato peels (TP), and olive leaves (EOL) on glycaemic and insulinemic responses. The three formulations contained, respectively, 0.007 mg abscisic acid (ABA)/g, 0.5 mg carotenoids/g, and 150 mg oleuropein/g. Twenty healthy subjects consumed a regular glucose solution (RG) or a treatment beverage (TB) obtained by mixing RG with the individual formulations (TB NecP, TB EOL, and TB TP), separately, and on different days. All three formulations significantly lowered the 30 min glucose plasma peak (p < 0.05 for all); similarly, NecP and TP also significantly lowered the 30 min insulin plasma peak (p < 0.05 for all). These results may lead to the hypothesis of a formulation of a multi-component nutraceutical with a synergistic efficacy for the glycaemic control.

Development of polyvinyl alcohol/β-cyclodextrin antimicrobial nanofibers for fresh mushroom packaging

Under the optimal conditions, a crosslinked electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/cinnamon essential oil/β-cyclodextrin (CPVA-CEO-β-CD) nanofibrous films for sustained release of antimicrobials were successfully prepared. Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) can be sustainably released due to CPVA-CEO-β-CD nanofibers complex delivery systems. The chemical crosslinking and physical welding achieved simultaneously by glutaraldehyde atomization fumigation, making fibers more suitable for fresh food packaging. Nanofibrous films were characterized in terms of SEM, ATR-FTIR, DSC, water contact angle analysis and antibacterial trials. ATR-FTIR and DSC data indicated that CEO was encapsulated in a β-CD cavity and they coexisted in PVA nanofibers. The water contact angle of the crosslinked PVA nanofibrous films increased with CEO and the values were always below 90°. Crosslinked nanofibers possessed fine properties in vitro antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, CPVA/β-CD/CEO nanofibrous films delayed decay of mushroom during storage, indicating their potential implementation in active food packaging.