Recent advances and insights into the bioactive properties and applications of Rosa canina L. and its by-products

Rosa canina L., commonly known as rosehip, is of notable scientific interest for its applications in nutrition, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This review article highlights its health-promoting properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticarcinogenic effects, attributed to its rich content of phenolic acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, and vitamins. With growing interest in sustainable practices, rosehip by-products are increasingly valorized. For instance, cold-pressed rosehip seed oil is a valuable source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, while incorporating rosehip pomace into snacks enhances their nutritional profile, positioning them as potential functional foods and dietary supplements. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of advancements in utilizing rosehip and its by-products, emphasizing their role in enriching food and pharmaceutical products with nutritional and functional bioactivities.

What are the main obstacles to turning foods healthier through probiotics incorporation? a review of functionalization of foods by probiotics and bioactive metabolites

Functional foods are gaining significant attention from people all over the world. When added to foods, probiotic bacteria can turn them healthier and confer beneficial health effects, such as improving the immune system and preventing cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, adding probiotics to foods is a challenging task. The processing steps often involve high temperatures, and intrinsic food factors, such as pH, water activity, dissolved oxygen, post-acidification, packaging, and cold storage temperatures, can stress the probiotic strain and impact its viability. Moreover, it is crucial to consider these factors during food product development to ensure the effectiveness of the probiotic strain. Among others, techniques such as microencapsulation and lyophilization, have been highlighted as industrial food functionalization strategies. In this review, we present and discuss alternatives that may be used to functionalize foods by incorporating probiotics and/or delivering bioactive compounds produced by probiotics. We also emphasize the main challenges in different food products and the technological characteristics influencing them. The knowledge available here may contribute to overcoming the practical obstacles to food functionalization with probiotics.

Chemical composition, health benefits and future prospects of Paulownia flowers: A review

The plants of the genus Paulownia (Scrophulariaceae) have been gaining attention for wood production, and their flowers, which are a seasonal by-product, have been traditionally used in medicinal products. The phytochemistry and pharmacology of Paulownia flowers contribute to their economic uses in medicines, foods, animal feeds, and cosmetics. The chemical composition of Paulownia flowers is mostly flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, volatile components, polysaccharides, lignans, and iridoids, which exhibit various health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, neuroprotective and immunoregulation activities. Moreover, the extracts of the Paulownia flower have been proven safe for animals. These promote the development of new products and technologies using Paulownia flowers, with intellectual property rights. The review presents the current developments on the chemical composition, biological and pharmacological activities, and economic values of Paulownia flowers, and aims to provide a reference for their further utilization.

Effect of feed components on quality parameters of wheat-tef-sesame-tomato based extruded products

Wheat flour is one of the principal ingredients in extruded wheat products. Wheat-based extruded products have relatively low protein and high gluten contents as well as a high glycemic index. Incorporation of nutrient-rich supplements could overcome those limitations. A D-optimal statistical experimental design was used to develop high-value and nutrient-rich extruded products by supplementing wheat flour (WF), with tef flour (TF), sesame protein concentrate (SPC) and tomato powder (TM). Effects of feed compositions on physical and functional properties of the extruded products were evaluated and modeled using an artificial neural network (ANN). SPC contributed to elevate the protein and simultaneously lower the carbohydrate content of the extruded products while TF and TM contributed to improving crude fiber and antioxidant properties. Evaluated physicochemical properties were adequately predicted by the ANN models (R2 = 0.979-0.998) with root mean square error of less than 0.008. Physical properties and sensorial evaluation correlated well and revealed that TF, SPC and TP addition to wheat flour produced distinct extruded products rich in protein and antioxidants with lowered carbohydrate and gluten contents.

Commercial versus technical cues to position a new product: Do hedonic and functional/healthy packages differ?

Packaging attributes can be classified into two main blocks: visual/commercial attributes and informational/technical ones. In this framework, our objectives are: (i) to compare if both kinds of attributes lead to equal responses (consumers' attitudes improvement and product trial) and (ii) to compare if they work equally when a hedonic or a healthy new product is launched into the young market. An experimental design was defined to reach both objectives. Two packaging attributes were manipulated orthogonally to introduce greater variation in people's perceptions: a visual cue (the color) and an informative cue (the claim/label). A third variable was introduced: hedonic (candy bars) versus functional/healthy products (juice with fruit and milk). In a laboratory, 300 young consumers chose and evaluated one of the different packages that were simulated (using different colors and labels). Our results show that both kinds of attributes are significant, but visual cues were more strongly associated with young consumers' positive attitudes towards the product and their intention to buy than technical cues. Results do not differ between the product categories.7.

Chemical composition, functional properties and processing of carrot-a review

Carrot is one of the important root vegetables rich in bioactive compounds like carotenoids and dietary fibers with appreciable levels of several other functional components having significant health-promoting properties. The consumption of carrot and its products is increasing steadily due to its recognition as an important source of natural antioxidants having anticancer activity. Apart from carrot roots being traditionally used in salad and preparation of curries in India, these could commercially be converted into nutritionally rich processed products like juice, concentrate, dried powder, canned, preserve, candy, pickle, and gazrailla. Carrot pomace containing about 50% of β-carotene could profitably be utilized for the supplementation of products like cake, bread, biscuits and preparation of several types of functional products. The present review highlights the nutritional composition, health promoting phytonutrients, functional properties, products development and by-products utilization of carrot and carrot pomace along with their potential application.