Chronic hyperglycemia increases the risk of liver damage. Oxidative stress and aberrant inflammatory response are entangled in diabetes-associated liver injury. This study evaluated the protective effect of the flavonoid galangin (Gal) on glucose intolerance, liver injury, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling in diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ), and the rats received Gal for six weeks. STZ-induced rats showed glucose intolerance, hypoinsulinemia, elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and decreased liver glycogen. Gal ameliorated glucose intolerance, reduced HbA1c%, increased serum insulin and liver glycogen and hexokinase activity, and suppressed glycogen phosphorylase, glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-biphosphatase in diabetic rats. Circulating transaminases, ALP and LDH, and liver ROS, MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were increased and GSH, SOD, and CAT were diminished in diabetic rats. In addition, diabetic rats exhibited mult... [more]

Rice starch is a common functional ingredient used in various food applications. The drying regime to obtain dry starch powder is an important processing step, which affects the functional properties of the starch. The application of extreme thermal treatment during the conventional drying process tends to elicit irreversible changes to the rice starch, resulting in the loss of desired functionalities. In a previous study, we reported the development of a novel low temperature spray-drying based process which efficiently dries waxy rice starch, while preserving its physicochemical properties and functionalities. This study, a follow-up to the previous report, evaluated the effect of different spray-drying inlet temperatures on the production yield, physicochemical properties, and functionalities of waxy rice starch. Increasing the inlet temperature from 40 °C to 100 °C resulted in an increase in the process yield from 74.83% to 88.66%, respectively. All spray dried waxy rice starches p... [more]

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of boiling and roasting treatments on the phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of pod shells of two Sudanese peanut cultivars, Sodari and Ghabiash. The samples were subjected to a boiling process (1:5 w/v; 20 g/100 mL) at 100 °C for 45 min and a roasting treatment at 180 °C for 30 min. Results revealed that both cultivars are rich in phenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity in their shell. The boiling and dry roasting treatments significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of the peanut shell for both peanut cultivars. The shells of Ghabiash peanut cultivar exhibited higher bioactive properties than the shells of Sodari cultivar, in which these properties were highly improved by roasting and boiling treatments. In general, peanut shells can serve as an important underutilized by-product, particularly after roasting treatment, for potentia... [more]

In this study, the effects of gaseous chlorine dioxide treatment on the physicochemical properties of buckwheat-based composited flour (buckwheat-wheat-gluten) and shelf-life of fresh buckwheat noodles (FBNs), as well as the textural qualities and sensory properties of noodles were investigated. Chlorine dioxide treatment significantly reduced the total plate count (TPC) and the total flavonoids content in the mixed flour (p < 0.05), but the whiteness, development time and stability time were all increased. During storage, the microbial growth and darkening rate of FBNs made from chlorine dioxide treated buckwheat-based composite flour (CDBF) were delayed significantly, slowing the deterioration and improving storage stability of buckwheat noodles. In addition, chlorine dioxide treatment had no apparent adverse effect on the cooking loss and sensory characteristics during noodle storage. This finding would provide a new concept for the production of “low bacterial buckwheat-based fl... [more]

Oil recovered from dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) can be a high-value product over animal feed to provide an additional profit to ethanol plants currently operating at slim profit margins. Fractionations of DDGS and enzymatic hydrolysis were considered in this study to improve the oil recovery from DDGS. A combination of sieving and then air aspiration was used to separate the original DDGS into three different fractions: light, medium, and heavy. The heavier fraction had up to 24% increased oil content compared to the original DDGS. Commercial enzymes, protease, cellulase, and hemicellulase were tested separately and in combinations at 55 °C for 3 h at 130 rpm to determine their effect on oil recovery from the original and fractionated DDGS. Oil recovery was significantly improved (around 20%) following enzyme hydrolysis of the sieved aspirated heavy fractions of DDGS compared to the original DDGS. More than 90% of oil recovery was achieved by using a combination of cellu... [more]

Owing to COVID-19, the world has advanced faster in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, along with the 3D printing technology that has achieved innovation in personalized manufacturing. Three-dimensional printing technology has been utilized across various fields such as environmental fields, medical systems, and military materials. Recently, the 3D food printer global market has shown a high annual growth rate and is a huge industry of approximately one billion dollars. Three-dimensional food printing technology can be applied to various food ranges based on the advantages of designing existing food to suit one’s taste and purpose. Currently, many countries worldwide produce various 3D food printers, developing special foods such as combat food, space food, restaurants, floating food, and elderly food. Many people are unaware of the utilization of the 3D food printing technology industry as it is in its early stages. There are various cases using 3D food printing technology i... [more]

Egg yolk is a multifunctional ingredient widely used in many food products, wherein proteins are the dominant component contributing to this functionality. However, the potential risk of foodborne illness associated with egg use forces us to ensure that foodstuffs based on egg yolk are managed in a safe and sanitary manner. Lowering the pH under a certain value by adding acids could serve this purpose, but it can also greatly modify the rheological and functional properties of egg yolk. This research aims to assess the influence of citric acid on the rheological properties and microstructure of chicken egg yolk dispersions and their heat-set gels. The dispersions were prepared from fresh hen’s eggs yolks by adding water or citric acid to obtain a technical yolk (45 wt.% in solids) at the desired pH value. Viscoelastic measurements were carried out using a control stress rheometer, and microstructure was evaluated by cryo-scanning electronic microscopy (CryoSEM). An evolution of the vis... [more]

L. is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub whose leaves have been known for various health-promoting effects mainly attributed to polyphenols. Microwave- (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) are green extraction techniques that enable effective isolation of polyphenols from plant material. Therefore, the aim of this research was to optimize the extraction conditions of MAE (ethanol percentage, temperature, extraction time, microwave power) and UAE (ethanol percentage, extraction time, amplitude) of polyphenols from Laurus nobilis L. leaves and to assess their polyphenolic profile by ultra performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and antioxidant capacity by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Optimal MAE conditions were 50% ethanol, 80 °C, 10 min and 400 W. Optimal UAE conditions were 70% ethanol, 10 min and 50% amplitude. Spectrophotometric analysis showed the highest total phenolic content in the extracts was obtained by MAE, compared... [more]

Osmotic dehydration is an important phase in the production of dried products, including most fruits and vegetables, in the food industry. The drying process for candied fruit produces a liquid waste called “spent osmotic solution”, which is characterized by a high content of organic compounds, mostly dissolved sugars. The sugar content of this food by-product could be valorized through the growth of biomass with a high added value. In this study, the spent osmotic solution from the candied fruit industry was used as an organic carbon source for the growth and production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cultivation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei RCC893. The carbon content of the standard media was completely replaced by the sugars present in this food by-product. After that, the growth condition of this strain was optimized through response surface methodologies using a central composite design (CCD), and the optimal combination of the spent osmotic solution and nitrogen was establi... [more]

Redox imbalance in intestinal epithelial cells is critical in the early phases of intestinal injury. Dysfunction of the intestinal barrier can result in immunological imbalance and inflammation, thus leading to intestinal syndromes and associated illnesses. Several antioxidants have been discovered to be beneficial in resolving intestinal barrier dysfunction. Of these antioxidants, the effects of alkaline reduced water (ARW) in oxidative stress of intestinal epithelial cells and its immunokine modulation in vitro is unknown. In this study, we utilized ARW-enriched media to investigate its cytoprotective effect against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in DLD1 cells. We found that ARW rescued DLD1 from oxidative stress by diluting the influence of H2O2 on oxidative stress-activated MAPK signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction. Further, intestinal oxidative stress significantly affects immunokine profiles of Raw 264.7 cells (IL-6, IL-10, MCP, TNF-a, RANTES), which can be reversed by ARW. Col... [more]

In this study, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and chemometrics were implemented to develop prediction models for moisture, colour, chemical and structural attributes of purple-speckled cocoyam slices subjected to hot-air drying. Since HSI systems are costly and computationally demanding, the selection of a narrow band of wavelengths can enable the utilisation of simpler multispectral systems. In this study, 19 optimal wavelengths in the spectral range 400−1700 nm were selected using PLS-BETA and PLS-VIP feature selection methods. Prediction models for the studied quality attributes were developed from the 19 wavelengths. Excellent prediction performance (RMSEP < 2.0, r2P > 0.90, RPDP > 3.5) was obtained for MC, RR, VS and aw. Good prediction performance (RMSEP < 8.0, r2P = 0.70−0.90, RPDP > 2.0) was obtained for PC, BI, CIELAB b*, chroma, TFC, TAA and hue angle. Additionally, PPA and WI were also predicted successfully. An assessment of the agreement between predictions from the non-invas... [more]

Whey is a primary by-product of dairy plants, and one that is often difficult to manage. As whey processing units are costly and complicated, only 15−20% of whey is recycled for use in the food industry. The difficulties in managing waste whey are particularly pronounced for small, local dairy plants. One possible solution to this problem is to use advanced and efficient digesters. The aim of this study was to present an innovative multi-section hybrid anaerobic bioreactor (M-SHAR) design and to identify how microwave radiation heating (MRH) affects methane fermentation of liquid dairy waste (LDW) primarily composed of acid whey. The MRH reactor was found to perform better in terms of COD removal and biogas production compared with the convection-heated reactor. The heating method had a significant differentiating effect at higher organic load rates (OLRs). With OLRs ranging from 15 to 25 kgCOD∙m−3∙d−1, the M-SHAR with MRH ensured a 5% higher COD removal efficiency and 12−20% higher bi... [more]

A new process for the production of instant red jasmine rice was investigated using fluidized bed drying with the aid of swirling compressed air. Drying characteristics were evaluated using the operating parameters of fluidizing air temperature (90−120 °C) and pressure of swirling compressed air (4−6 bar). Appropriate air pressure was determined based on the highest value of model parameters from the semi-empirical Page equation and effective diffusivity. Influences of supply time of swirling compressed air (2−10 min) and drying temperature of 90−120 °C were investigated and optimized based on the quality attributes using response surface methodology. Drying at 120 °C and compressed air pressure of 6 bar gave the highest rate constant and effective diffusion coefficient. Drying at 120 °C combined with injecting swirling air for 2 min was the most suitable approach, while drying at 90 °C and supplying compressed air for 10 min was the best choice to preserve antioxidant properties. Air... [more]

Flavonoids are one of the important active ingredients from Acanthopanax senticosus, with a variety of biological functions, such as antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The aim of this work was to investigate enzyme-assisted ultrasonic extraction of A. senticosus flavonoids and their enrichment and antioxidant properties. We found that the optimal extraction process after Box−Behnken response surface optimization had the following parameters: a 3:2 ratio of cellulase to pectinase, enzyme mixture amount of 6960 U g−1, enzyme treatment time of 59.80 min; temperature of 53.70 °C, and pH value of 6.05. The yield of total flavonoids reached 36.95 ± 0.05 mg g−1. The results for different polar solvent enrichments showed that the highest flavonoid (61.0 ± 0.344 mg g−1), polyphenol (24.93 ± 0.234 mg g−1), and saponin (17.80 ± 0.586 mg g−1) contents were observed in the 1-butanol fraction, and the highest polysaccharide content (20.04 ± 0.783 mg g−1) was in the water fraction. Pearson cor... [more]

Food safety is about everyone’s health. Through risk assessment and early warning of food safety, food-related safety issues can be identified as early as possible and take timely precautions. However, the detection data of food safety are complex and non-linear, so it is necessary to find the relationship and hierarchical representation of factors affecting food safety. This paper presents an improved entropy weight based on Hasse diagram technology (HDT) method to analyze the influencing factors of food safety. The entropy weight method was used to calculate the weight of each factor index, and the relationship matrix was obtained. Then, the data of infant milk powder in China were analyzed hierarchically by the HDT method. Thus, we can obtain the multi-level structure that affects food safety. It provides an effective basis for early warning of food safety, can help government regulators to strengthen management, and urge enterprises to produce food safely.

Madeira wine (MW) encompasses an unusual oxidative ageing process that makes it distinctive. Several metabolites have been related to its quality and safety, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, sotolon, and ethyl carbamate (EC). These compounds were quantified over a three-year period to assess their formation rate according to the ageing procedure used: canteiro vs. estufagem. Estufagem, which includes thermal processing of young MWs, promoted greater HMF, furfural, and sotolon accumulation, especially in sweet wines, in which sotolon contributed significantly to aroma (odour active values up to 17.5). Tinta Negra revealed a higher predisposition to form EC while Malvasia and Sercial were less prone to its formation. The formation of furfural, HMF, and EC strongly correlated with the ageing time. Sotolon had a strong correlation with the ageing time in canteiro (r = 0.79) and a moderate correlation in estufagem (r = 0.65). In both ageing procedures, sotolon, furfural, and... [more]

Grape-based brandies are one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. The most popular one, Cognac, comes from the Charentes region of Southwest France, and it is mostly produced from the grape variety ‘Ugni Blanc’. However, wines destined for the elaboration of wine spirits also come from different white grape varieties; ‘Colombard’, ‘Folle Blanche’, ‘Montils’, and ‘Semillon’. In this study, the possibility of using the red grape varieties ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Syrah’ was investigated with an emphasis on the change of volatile compounds during the production process. During production, some specific volatile compounds such as 2-hexenal, 3-octanone, isopropyl myristate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl oleate, phenethyl acetate, 1-hexanol, and β-damascenone could be attributed to the primary aroma generated from the grape varieties. During the vinification and fermentation process, the development of ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, 3-methylbutanol, acetic acid, and octanoic ac... [more]

Although the roots and flowers of P. thunbergiana are known to have various physiologically active effects, studies on the anti-melanin production and anti-photoaging effects of its leaf extracts and cellular mechanisms are still lacking. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of using Pueraria thunbergiana leaves as a natural material for skin whitening and anti-aging-related functional cosmetics. The 30% ethyl alcohol (EtOH) extract from P. thunbergiana leaves was fractionated using n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), butanol, and aqueous solution to measure their whitening, and anti-aging effects. The EtOAc fraction contained a high content of phenolic and flavonoids and showed higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activities than the other fractions. It was also confirmed that the EtOAc fraction markedly inhibited α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-induced melanogenesis... [more]

This study aimed to determine the effect of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU. F = 37 kHz, I = 28W/cm2, bath for 30 min, 5 °C) on physicochemical characteristics and sensorial preference of seven aged (23 d ageing) bovine muscles (L. dorsi lumborum, L. dorsi thoracis, Psoas major, Semimembranosus, Biceps femoris, Rectus femoris, and Gluteus medius). Muscles were randomly distributed in two treatments: with and without ultrasonication. Colour (L*, a*, b* and C*), water-holding capacity (WHC), and shear force (N) were determined before and after simulated retail display (SRD) in modified atmosphere packing (MAP; 75% O2: 25% CO2, 3 °C, 13 h led light exposition) for 5 d. Sensorial toughness was also evaluated at the end of the SRD. Ultrasonication slightly reduces 6−9% WHC of beef. HIU did not affect (p ˃ 0.05) water loss, meat colour, shear force and sensorial toughness of the meat. The Semimembranosus was the toughest muscle. Ultrasonication of 23-day-aged beef did not show improvements on... [more]

As consumer trends shift towards more natural and ecological consumption patterns, industrialists are actively working towards substituting synthetic chemicals with natural and vegan products that contain bioactive properties. Thus, considering the shifts in customer demand and the growing concern around vegetable sourced productions, this work aims to contribute to the valorization of aromatic and medicinal Moroccan plants. By focusing on the Marrubium vulgare L. species, our objective is to carry out a physicochemical characterization to determine its chemical composition and biological activities. The volatile fraction collected by hydrodistillation (0.61%) and analyzed by GC-MS (gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry) contains five main compounds: 3-Thujanone, Eugenol, Topanol, Menthone and Piperitone. The antioxidant activity has been estimated by applying the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging test and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP... [more]

It is an urgent scientific issue to explore the spatial and temporal differentiation and impact indicators of the agricultural water footprint in major grain-producing areas. Therefore, this study tries to use the water footprint theory to implement top-down calculation of the agricultural water footprint in major grain-producing regions from 2000 to 2019 and investigate the various impacts on the agricultural water footprint under the influence of spatial-temporal effects using spatial autocorrelation and the spatial Dubin model. The results indicate that from 2000 to 2019, the overall agricultural water footprint of China showed a fluctuating downward trend in an inverted N shape and demonstrated high−high and low−low spatial aggregation characteristics. There are notable characteristics, including high spatial dependence, spatial barriers, and path locking of the agricultural water footprint in most provinces and regions of the main grain-producing areas. Policy factors, water-savin... [more]

The aim of the study was to identify consumers’ food safety knowledge, practices, and hygiene status in the observed home kitchens. The results provide the starting point for evaluating progress or regression in this area compared to the past statewide study. Food safety knowledge was analyzed among 380 consumers with an online questionnaire. Additionally, 16 consumers were observed during their preparation of specified foods. The hygiene conditions in the kitchens were microbiologically examined using contact agar plates, while the cleaning adequacy was determined by measuring the ATP bioluminescence. A lack of knowledge on certain topics regarding food safety was established; the consumers aged from 36 to 55 in general and women demonstrated the highest level of knowledge. In some cases, the observed consumers did not take proper action when preparing the food. Increased total bacteria, coliform bacteria, and Escherichia coli counts were detected in 12.7% of the consumers’ kitchens o... [more]

Anaerobic digestion and agricultural use of sewage sludge are effective methods to treat and dispose of sewage sludge, respectively. Then, the anaerobic digested sewage sludge is applied in agricultural land and the improvement of soil properties can be expected. In this study, with the purpose of evaluating the potential of co-digestion sludge for agricultural use, plot experiments with two vegetable species (radish and Chinese cabbage) and three application dosages were carried out in a short term of six months. Focus was on soil physical properties, soil nutrient change and plant growth responses during the whole process. Results showed that application of co-digestion sludge had little effect on soil physical properties, including the bulk density, porosity, capillary porosity and non-capillary porosity. However, after the application of co-digestion sludge, the maximum increase in content of organic matter, total nitrogen, hydrolysable nitrogen, total phosphorus and available phos... [more]

Grape skin (Kyoho: Vitis labruscana), a by-product of processed grapes, was experimentally investigated for its drying behavior at different drying temperatures with five thin layer drying models. Moreover, we determined the effect of drying temperature on the bioactive capacity of Kyoho skin. The experimental moisture ratio decreased with increasing drying temperature. The drying process was predicted by mathematical models, such as Page (303.15 K: R2 = 0.9815, 333.15 K: R2 = 0.9685) and two-term (313.15 K: R2 = 0.9639, 323.15 K: R2 = 0.9737) models. Moisture diffusivity (Deff) ranged from 2.87 × 10−8 to 9.82 × 10−8 m2/s, with an activation energy (Ea) of 33.78 ± 1.06 kJ/mol. Total phenolic compounds (0.37 ± 0.04 to 0.23 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activities (DPPH• activity of 93.06 to 73.31%) of Kyoho skin were significantly affected by drying temperature. Thus, this study concluded that the drying process decreased the bioactive potential of grape skin; therefore, we recommend... [more]

Powders and granules of heavy metal oxides produced through condition monitoring are in high demand as intermediate products for obtaining fine-grained ceramics for a wide range of applications, i.e., nuclear fuel and fuel elements for nuclear power plants. Sol−gel technology to produce nuclear fuel (UO2), as well as catalysts (ThO2) for organic synthesis in the form of granules from pressed microspheres, is a promising method to obtain powders and granules of heavy metal oxides (fine-graded ceramics). Al2O3 was selected as the model analog at the stages of obtaining a solution of heavy metal and sol, the formation and gelation of droplets, and the preparation of gel spheres and their further washing and drying, as well as recovery and firing of particles. In the study, the main parameters were substantiated, e.g., the diameter and angle of inclination of the axis for the holes in the perforated shell, the multiplicity of sol circulation before the holes, the coefficients of liquid (so... [more]