Sugar, d ‐pinitol, volatile composition, and antioxidant activity of carob powder roasted by microwave, hot air, and combined microwave/hot air

Processing to improve the sustainability of chickpea as a functional food ingredient

Chickpea is a field crop that is playing an emerging role in the provision of healthy and sustainable plant-based value-added ingredients for the food and nutraceutical industries. This article reviews the characteristics of chickpea (composition, health properties, and techno-functionality) and chickpea grain that influence their use as whole foods or ingredients in formulated food. It covers the exploitation of traditional and emerging processes for the conversion of chickpea into value-added differentiated food ingredients. The influence of processing on the composition, health-promoting properties, and techno-functionality of chickpea is discussed. Opportunities to tailor chickpea ingredients to facilitate their incorporation in traditional food applications and in the expanding plant-based meat alternative and dairy alternative markets are highlighted. The review includes an assessment of the possible uses of by-products of chickpea processing. Recommendations are provided for future research to build a sustainable industry using chickpea as a value-added ingredient. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of microwave-assisted treatment on proximate, techno-functional, thermal, structural, and storage properties of TGN (Cyperus esculentus L.) flour

BACKGROUND

The use of the emerging technique of microwave-assisted roasting on TGN (TGN) flour was investigated. Tiger nuts were subjected to microwave irradiation at 450, 600, and 900 W each at 5, 10, and 15 min, and milled to flour. The flours were analyzed for proximate, bioactive, techno-functional, morphological, thermal, and storage effects on their composition. An untreated sample was the control.

RESULTS

The results revealed that microwave treatment significantly (P < 0.05) elicited various modifications in the proximate composition and techno-functional properties. The treatment improved the bioactive composition of phenolic content together with the antioxidant activity of the flour. Progressive microwave treatment of TGNs resulted in flours with darker colors and reduced pasting parameters. Structural modification of starch granules, protein denaturation, and starch-protein complexes occasioned by microwave treatment were evidenced in the functional group analysis, including morphological agglomeration, increased particle size, and thermal properties. Treatment also enhanced the microbiological qualities of flour after 8 weeks of storage.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that microwave treatment produces excellent physical modifications that lead to improvements in the nutritional, functional, sensory, and color properties, and safety attributes of TGN flour for food application. This is a development that could present opportunities for novel food formulation by the food industry and related industries. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Microwave Vacuum Freeze-Drying Power on Emulsifying and Structure Properties of Egg White Protein

The study investigated the effects of different microwave vacuum freeze-drying powers (100-500 W) on the emulsifying properties and structural characteristics of egg white protein, which is of great significance in enhancing the added value of EWP and promoting its application. Emulsification analysis revealed that the emulsification performance was significantly influenced by microwave power and reached its maximum at 300 W. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses showed that microwave vacuum freeze-drying treatment altered the secondary structure of EWP without changing its peptide structure. Fluorescence measurements indicated that the maximum fluorescence emission intensity decreased, and the maximum emission wavelength shifted towards blue as the power increased. Particle size, zeta potential, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses showed that the average particle size of EWP reached the minimum value of 1203.66 nm, the absolute value of zeta potential reached the maximum value of 41.35 mV, and the thermal stability was strongest, with a more uniform and loose structure observed at 300 W. Texture profile analysis (TPA) showed that appropriate power treatment significantly enhanced the chewiness and viscoelasticity of egg white protein. Therefore, appropriate power treatment could effectively improve the emulsifying properties and stability.

Bioaccessibility of phenolics from carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) pod powder prepared by cryogenic and vibratory grinding

Carob pod powder prepared by cryogenic (CG) and vibratory grinding for 4 min (VG-4) and 8 min (VG-8) was evaluated for its antioxidant properties, and phenolic content. The bioaccessibility of phenolics was determined after the oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion phases in vitro. CG carob powder had a higher total phenolic content (6.46 mg gallic acid/g) and antioxidant capacities in terms of DPPH (15.60 mg Trolox/g) and ABTS (28.58 mg Trolox/g) assays. Quercitrin (44.54-64.68 μg/g) and cinnamic acid (27.48-31.40 μg/g) were the most abundant phenolics in all carob powder samples determined by liquid chromatography. The bioaccessibility of only ferulic acid (108%) had increased after digestion of the CG carob powder. Vibratory grinding (VG-4 and VG-8) improved the bioaccessibility of cinnamic acid (86-87%), vanillic acid (87-95%), quercitrin (33-34%), and naringenin (19-22%). A better bioaccessibility of phenolic constituents was observed for vibratory ground carob powder.

Particle Size Effect of Integral Carob Flour on Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds during Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion

Carob fruit is native to the Mediterranean region and produced mainly in Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Turkey. The production of the carob fruit in Portugal is highly extensive and sustainable. Currently, carob flour (CF) production is mainly achieved after pulp separation, despite it having been demonstrated that the seeds improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, promoting human health. This study aimed to produce an integral CF through an innovative process and assess its physicochemical and bioactive properties at different particle sizes throughout simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion. The sugar content profile obtained throughout GIT digestion indicated that sucrose, the sugar present at the highest concentration in undigested CF, was digested and broken down into simple sugars, namely glucose and fructose. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity obtained for the ≤100 µm fraction were in accordance and gastric digestion promoted an increase in the TPC value compared to the undigested sample. The >100 µm fractions displayed a distinct profile from the ≤100 µm fraction. This study showed that the particle size affects the sugar, antioxidant and total phenolic content of CFs and also their gastrointestinal tract digestion. The ≤100 µm fraction demonstrated the most suitable profile as a functional food ingredient.

An overview of conventional and emerging techniques of roasting: Effect on food bioactive signatures

Roasting is a food processingtechnique that employs the principle of heating to cook the product evenly and enhance the digestibility, palatability and sensory aspects of foods with desirable structural modifications of the food matrix. With the burgeoning demand for fortified roasted products along with the concern for food hygiene and the effects of harmful compounds, novel roasting techniques, and equipment to overcome the limitations of conventional operations are indispensable. Roasting techniques employing microwave, infrared hot-air, superheated steam, Revtech roaster, and Forced Convection Continuous Tumble (FCCT) roasting have been figuratively emerging to prominence for effectively roasting different foods without compromising the nutritional quality. The present review critically appraises various conventional and emerging roasting techniques, their advantages and limitations, and their effect on different food matrix components, functional properties, structural attributes, and sensory aspects for a wide range of products. It was seen that thermal processing at high temperatures for increased durations affected both the physicochemical and structural properties of food. Nevertheless, novel techniques caused minimum destructive impacts as compared to the traditional processes. However, further studies applying novel roasting techniques with a wide range of operating conditions on different types of products are crucial to establish the potential of these techniques in obtaining safe, quality foods.

An UPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of D-pinitol in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic and bioavailability study

D-pinitol could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) type II. In this work, a sensitive and rapid ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method was firstly developed and validated for the determination and pharmacokinetic study of D-pinitol in rat plasma. D-pinitol and 5,7-dihydroxychromone (Internal Standard, IS) were completely separated on a BEH C18 column. The plasma samples were deproteinated with acetonitrile: ethanol (1:1). The MRM transitions for D-pinitol was m/z 179.125 → 105.049, and for IS was m/z 195.085 → 109.031. The method linearity ranges was 5-200 ng/mL. The precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect, stability under different conditions, were all within the required criteria. After intragastric (50 mg/kg) administration of D-pinitol to the rats, the maximum plasma concentration (C_max) was 77.8 ± 19.5 ng/mL. The time to reach the maximum plasma concentration (T_max) was 2.2 ± 0.98 h. Apparent distribution volume (V_z) was 1557.5 ± 1329.1 L/kg and the plasma centration time curve (AUC_0-t) was 1265.5 ± 479.3 µg/L*h. After intravenous (5.0 mg/kg) administration, V_z was 325.2 ± 107.8 L/kg and AUC_(0-t) was 693.0 ± 89.9 µg/L*h. Our study indicated D-pinitol had a slow elimination phase and might be the high affinity binding to blood protein in vivo, which are helpful for its further drug development and clinical application.