Optimization of adding polysaccharides from chicory root based on fuzzy mathematics to improve physicochemical properties of silver carp surimi balls during storage

Preparation of Complex Polysaccharide Gels with Zanthoxylum bungeanum Essential Oil and Their Application in Fish Preservation

In this study, novel functional ZEO-complex gels were prepared using sodium alginate, inulin, grape seed extract (GSE), and Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (ZEO) as the primary raw materials. The effect of the addition of inulin, GSE, and ZEO on water vapor permeability (WVP), tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (EAB) of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was investigated. A comprehensive score (Y) for evaluating the characteristics of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was established by principal component analysis. MATLAB analysis and box-Behnken design describe each factor's four-dimensional and three-dimensional interactions. It was found that Y could reach the maximum value when the ZEO addition was at a moderate level (C = 2%). The optimum preparation process of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was as follows: the addition of inulin was at 0.84%, the addition of GSE was at 0.04%, and the addition of ZEO was at 2.0785%; in this way, the Y of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels reached the maximum (0.82276). Optical scanning and X-ray diffraction tests confirmed that the prepared ZEO-complex gels have a smooth and continuous microstructure, good water insulation, and mechanical properties. The storage test results show that ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels could play a significant role in the storage and fresh-keeping of grass carp, and the physicochemical properties of complex polysaccharide gels were improved by adding ZEO. In addition, according to the correlation of fish index changes during storage, adding ZEO in complex polysaccharide gels was closely correlated with the changes in fish TBARS and TVB-N oxidation decay indices. In conclusion, the ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels prepared in this study had excellent water insulation, mechanical properties, and outstanding fresh-keeping effects on grass carp.

Exploring the versatility of carbohydrates in surimi and surimi products: novel applications and future perspectives

Carbohydrate is one kind of the most important additives in the production of surimi and surimi products, mainly due to its wide range of sources and superior functionality. In recent years, new carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides) have been gradually applied in the production of surimi and surimi products which is mainly driven by consumer requirement on nutritional and the flavors or taste quality and producer requirement on extending the shelf life, like low calorie intake, dietary fiber enrichment, rich taste and improvement of antioxidant properties. Besides anti-freezing and improvement in gelling ability, novel functionalities have been explored such as fat substitution, improving flavor, antibacterial effect, antioxidant effect and improving three-dimensional printability. With an in-depth study of the mechanism of carbohydrate improving the qualities of surimi and surimi products, the application of carbohydrates in surimi would be more effective. Therefore, this review summarizes the new carbohydrates applied in the processing of surimi and surimi products, and their novel functionalities. Additionally, progress of the research on the mechanism of carbohydrate improving the qualities of surimi is also reviewed. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparation of Novel Flaxseed Oil/Beeswax Oleogel Systems and Its Application in the Improvement of Sodium Alginate Films

The purpose of this study was to prepare a novel kind of flaxseed oil (FO)/beeswax oleogel system and apply it to improve the properties of sodium alginate films. Three single factors, namely the ratio of beeswax/FO, the addition of oleogel, and the addition of glycerol, were optimized based on the comprehensive score of film characteristics: elongation at break (EAB), tensile strength (TS), hydroxyl radical clearance (HRC), and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the film. When the ratio of beeswax/FO was 7.807%, the addition of oleogel was 4.829%, and the addition of glycerol was 31.088%, the comprehensive score of the film characteristics was maximum. Moreover, the Decapterus maruadsi preserved by the produced films were assessed for drip loss, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and fatty acids composition. In comparison to the control, the produced films incorporated with linseed oil/beeswax oleogel had a longer shelf-life than Decapterus maruadsi. In conclusion, the oleogel system prepared via linseed oil/beeswax had good stability and hydrophobicity, which can significantly improve the characteristics of the film and extend the shelf-life of Decapterus maruadsi.

Comparative Evaluation of Quality Attributes of the Dried Cherry Blossom Subjected to Different Drying Techniques

Choosing an appropriate drying method is crucial for producing dried cherry blossoms with desirable quality. This study is designed to assess the effects of seven different drying methods-hot-air drying (HAD), infrared hot-air drying (IHAD), catalytic infrared drying (CID), relative humidity drying (RHD), pulsed vacuum drying (PVD), microwave vacuum drying (MVD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD)-on drying time and various attributes of cherry blossoms, such as appearance, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase activity, and sensory properties. Our findings revealed that MVD recorded the shortest drying time, followed by PVD, CID, IHAD, RHD, HAD, and VFD. In qualities, VFD-dried petals exhibited superior appearance, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and α-glucosidase inhibitory capability; MVD-dried petals were a close second. Furthermore, the quality of tea infusions prepared from the dried petals was found to be significantly correlated with the quality of the dried petals themselves. Regarding sensory attributes, VFD-dried petals produced tea infusions most similar in flavor and taste to those made with fresh petals and received the highest sensory evaluation scores, followed by MVD, PVD, RHD, CID, IHAD, and HAD. These results could offer a scientific foundation for the mass production of high-quality dried cherry blossoms in the future.

Effects of blackberry polysaccharide on the quality improvement of boiled chicken breast

Blackberry polysaccharide was isolated from blackberry powder with 70% ethanol. The crude polysaccharide was composed of 95.44% glucose, 2.01% arabinose, 1.81% galactose and 0.74% glucuronic acid. Chicken breast meat was only marinated with different concentrations of the isolated blackberry polysaccharide (1 g/kg, 3 g/kg) for 24 h at a ratio of material to liquid of 1:3, and boiled at 80℃ for 1 h. The differences in texture, water distribution and volatile flavor components among different groups （adding 0,1,3 g/kg blackberry polysaccharide) were investigated. The results showed that the addition of blackberry polysaccharide could significantly improve the hardness of chicken breast, the transformation of free water to bound water, the overall flavor characteristics of the control group and the addition of different concentrations of blackberry polysaccharide were significantly different, and the concentration of volatile flavor substances in boiled chicken breast was reduced.

Prolonged On-Vine vs. Cold of Actinidia eriantha: Differences in Fruit Quality and Aroma Substances during Soft Ripening Stage

In order to find an efficient, economical and feasible method for soft ripening storage of kiwifruit, two softening methods (on-vine, cold) were utilized for the ‘Ganlv-2’ kiwifruit (Actinidia. eriantha) cultivar. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on the quality changes in ‘Ganlv-2’ under different methods after fruit ripening by principal component analysis and mathematical modeling. Compared to kiwifruit under cold softening, kiwifruit treated with on-vine soft ripening had slightly greater sugar-acid ratios and flesh firmness and higher contents of dry matter, soluble solids, and soluble sugar. The titratable acid content was slightly lower in the on-vine group than in the cold group. The sensory evaluation results manifested little difference in fruit flavor between the two groups. However, at the end of the trial, the overripe taste of the on-vine group was lighter and the taste was sweeter than those of the cold group. More aromatic substances were emitted from the kiwifruit in the on-vine group. According to the mathematic model, there was no significant difference in fruit quality and flavor between the on-vine and traditional cold groups. The fruit in the on-vine group had a stronger flavor and lighter overripe flavor when they reached the edible state. This paper provided a novel storage method of A. eriantha, it can reduce the cost of traditional cold storage and reduce the pressure on centralized harvesting, and the feasibility of this method was verified from the fruit quality.

Mimic Pork Rinds from Plant-Based Gel: The Influence of Sweet Potato Starch and Konjac Glucomannan

This study investigated the effect of sweet potato starch (SPS) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) on the textural, color, sensory, rheological properties, and microstructures of plant-based pork rinds. Plant-based gels were prepared using mixtures of soy protein isolate (SPI), soy oil, and NaHCO₃ supplemented with different SPS and KGM concentrations. The texture profile analysis (TPA) results indicated that the hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the samples improved significantly after appropriate SPS and KGM addition. The results obtained via a colorimeter showed no significant differences were found in lightness (L*) between the samples and natural pork rinds after adjusting the SPS and KGM concentrations. Furthermore, the rheological results showed that adding SPS and KGM increased both the storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G’’), indicating a firmer gel structure. The images obtained via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the SPS and KGM contributed to the formation of a more compact gel structure. A mathematical model allowed for a more objective sensory evaluation, with the 40% SPS samples and the 0.4% KGM samples being considered the most similar to natural pork rinds, which provided a comparable texture, appearance, and mouthfeel. This study proposed a possible schematic model for the gelling mechanism of plant-based pork rinds: the three-dimensional network structures of the samples may result from the interaction between SPS, SPI, and soybean oil, while the addition of KGM and NaHCO₃ enabled a more stable gel structure.

Asian Carp, an Alternative Material for Surimi Production: Progress and Future

Asian carp is a general designation for grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, and black carp. These fish species belong to the family Cyprinidae. In 2018, more than 18.5 million tons of Asian carp were produced globally. Asian carp can be used for producing surimi, a stabilized myofibrillar protein concentrate that can be made into a wide variety of products such as imitation crab sticks, fish balls, fish cakes, fish tofu, and fish sausage. Surimi is usually made from marine fish, but Asian carp have been widely used for surimi production in China. The quality of surimi is affected by various factors, including the processing methods and food additives, such as polysaccharides, protein, salt, and cryoprotectant. With an impending shortage of marine fish due to overfishing and depletion of fish stocks, Asian carp have a potential to serve as an alternative raw material for surimi products thanks to their high abundancy, less emissions of greenhouse gases from farming, desirable flesh color, and sufficient gel forming ability. The utilization of Asian carp in surimi production could also contribute to relieving the overflow of Asian carp in the United States.

Effect of Lentinan on Lipid Oxidation and Quality Change in Goose Meatballs during Cold Storage

The effects of different concentrations of lentinan (LNT) (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4%) on the oxidation characteristics and physicochemical properties of goose meatballs were investigated during different cold storage (4 °C) stages (3, 7 and 12 days). After adding LNT, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) of goose meatballs significantly decreased compared to the LNT-free sample during cold storage, which indicated that LNT can inhibit the fat oxidation and the release of nitrogenous substances. Meanwhile, the presence of LNT makes microstructure of the goose meatball samples become denser during the whole storage time. The headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MC) results showed that the proportion of aldehydes in the 4% LNT group reached 0 during storage, suggesting that high LNT concentration inhibits the formation of oxidized products in meat products. The sensory evaluation showed that the addition of LNT improved the color, appearance, flavor, and overall acceptance of goose meatballs, and the 2% LNT group had the highest score in overall acceptance. In summary, the addition of LNT could delay lipid oxidation and improve the quality of goose meatballs during cold storage.

Effects of konjac glucomannan on the long-term retrogradation and shelf life of boiled wheat noodles

BACKGROUND

Starch retrogradation and moisture migration of boiled wheat noodles (BWNs) result in quality deterioration and short shelf life. The objective of this research was to investigate whether konjac glucomannan (KGM) could improve the quality of BWNs and further establish the shelf-life prediction model.

RESULTS

The moisture distribution, recrystallization, and thermal properties of BWNs during refrigerated or ambient temperature storage were determined. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance data showed that KGM addition induced left-shifts of T₂₁ and T₂₂ values, indicating that KGM limited the mobility of bound and immobile water among noodle matrices. X-ray diffraction spectra revealed that KGM did not change the crystal patterns of BWNs but could inhibit the starch recrystallization after refrigerated storage. The T_p and ΔH values of retrograded samples notably (P < 0.05) decreased with the increase of KGM addition, suggesting the hinderance of starch retrogradation behavior by KGM. The shelf life of BWNs was predicted by accelerated storage test combined with the Arrhenius equation. The present data displayed that the predicted shelf life of vacuum-packed and sterilized BWNs with 10 g kg^-1 KGM at 25 °C was 733 days, 2.4-fold that of the control group.

CONCLUSION

BWNs with KGM addition could inhibit starch retrogradation and improve the storage stability, consequently promoting noodle quality. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.