Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-integrated LFA has emerged as a powerful solution by combining strip-based simplicity with ultrasensitive signal amplification and spectral specificity. Previous reviews mainly address conventional LFAs, general SERS...
A simple, low-cost press-and-detect method was developed for qualitative milk fat analysis using sandpaper and lactoderm, offering a robust alternative to conventional methods in resource-limited settings.
Oleogels provide a healthier substitute for saturated and trans fats by structuring liquid oils while preserving their composition.
As the cultivated food industry transitions toward industrial-scale manufacturing, establishing sustainable, antibiotic-free contamination control is essential to ensure process stability and public health.
The global food system faces a critical sustainability paradox: the persistence of 1.3 billion tons of annual postharvest loss alongside an escalating crisis of petroleum-derived plastic pollution.
Finger millet ( Eleusine coracana ), a climate-resilient cereal, offers a sustainable substrate for fermented foods.
Ensuring the safety of the food supply is increasingly difficult due to the wide range of contaminants including mycotoxins, pathogenic microorganisms, heavy metals, pesticide residues, and antibiotics while conventional analytical...
Foam-mat microwave drying converted black carrot juice into an anthocyanin-rich powder. Drying kinetics were modelled (thin-layer, ANN, ANFIS) and optimised by Box–Behnken design, preserving anthocyanins, phenolics and antioxidant capacity.
Spray-dried microencapsulation of β-carotene-rich Gac oil using a sustainable brewer's spent yeast polysaccharide-rich fraction–gum arabic wall system enhanced encapsulation efficiency, storage stability, and controlled release.
The U.S. food and beverage sector exerts significant pressure on land and water resources underscoring the need to adopt transformative material efficiency technologies.
Eggshell-derived nanoparticles (Eg NPs) have attracted attention as low-cost biomaterials, as they are re-garded as waste. However, Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) exhibit promising biomedical activity. In the current study, Eg...
The potential of second cheese whey (SCW), a major dairy by-product, as a sustainable ingredient for breadmaking was explored to support its valorisation.
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is an emerging, chemical-free technology with significant potential to enhance crop performance. This study investigates the impact of direct plasma treatment on barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds using an amplitude-modulated AC dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in dry synthetic air. By impinging plasma microfilaments directly onto the seed surface, we enabled precise dose estimation and optimization. Plasma microfilaments were generated by amplitude-modulated AC dielectric barrier discharge in dry synthetic air, and the treatment time ranged from 10 seconds to 5 minutes. After treatment, the barley seed surface was analyzed for morphological and chemical changes, as well as for imbibition and germination rates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and sessile drop methods revealed a distinct chemical transition from a hydrophobic state, dominated by C-C/C-H bonds, to a polar, oxygen-enriched hydrophilic surface. While these surface modifications accelerated water imbibition, this physical enhancement did not translate into a statistically significant increase in germination speed. This non-monotonic relationship suggests that while Volume DBD effectively tailors seed surface chemistry for improved hydration, the biological triggers for germination may require further optimization of plasma-induced signaling. These findings provide a fundamental framework for developing sustainable dry-priming protocols that minimize water and chemical use in the industrial malting and agricultural sectors.
Growing population pressures and envionmental concerns over conventional proteins have driven interest in sustainable alternatives such as black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for texturized insect-based foods. However, the utilization of BSFL protein in food applications is limited and requires an understanding of its structural and functional properties, as well as the effects of processing conditions. This study investigates the effect of microbial transglutaminase (MTG)-catalysed crosslinking on the structural, physicochemical and gelling properties of BSFL protein. BSFL protein dispersions were subjected to different incubation times, ranging from 0.5 h to 24 h to achieve varying degrees of crosslinking. The results showed a consistent increase in the crosslinking degree with incubation time, with the highest level attained after 24 h. The progressive crosslinking of BSFL protein increased particle size but a smaller-sized population emerged after prolonged incubation for 20 h and 24 h. SDS-PAGE showed that 0.5 h to 24 h of MTG treatment resulted in the formation of high molecular weight aggregates (>250 kDa). Progressive reduction in sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity with increasing incubation time indicates that MTG-induced crosslinking caused burial of sulfhydryl groups and hydrophobic residues within the protein network. FTIR analysis revealed that MTG-treated samples exhibit higher beta-sheet content, suggesting structural reorganisation towards a more ordered conformation upon MTG-induced crosslinking. Functionally, MTG incubation time for 20 h yielded a BSFL protein network with the highest gel strength and water holding capacity. Extended incubation for 24 h started to compromise the gel strength and WHC. Overall, this study highlights the time-dependent nature of MTG-induced structural modifications and the gelling mechanism. It is important for laying the groundwork for manipulating the gelling properties of BSFL protein and the development of texturized BSFL protein-based insect-based foods, which could advance the utilisation of BSFL protein as a sustainable alternative protein.
Growth emphasizing on health and wellness (in terms of immunity) has highlighted the importance of dietary bioactives like omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This work focused on optimization of Soxhlet extraction parameters to maximize oil yield and evaluation of solvent recovery and reusability across multiple extraction cycles. Soxhlet extraction parameters, including solvent type (hexane, ethanol, and ethyl acetate), extraction time (8, 12, and 16 h), and solid-liquid ratio (1 : 2.5 to 1 : 15) were systematically investigated. Hexane proved most effective among the solvents tested, yielding 40.48 +/- 2.25% oil at an extraction time of 8 h and a solid-liquid ratio 1 : 10, followed by ethyl acetate and ethanol. Notably, a yield comparable to that obtained at 16 h with a 1 : 2.5 ratio (43.84 +/- 1.51%) was achieved in 8 h by optimizing the solid-liquid ratio to 1 : 10. Hexane was recovered with an average recovery of similar to 72% and was reused successfully for up to 10 cycles without significant loss in oil yield or quality. Gas chromatography (GC-FID) confirmed consistent fatty acid composition across all extraction cycles. FT-IR analysis showed no significant changes in functional groups, with only minor variations in peak intensities at later cycles and no new peaks detected. Consistent physicochemical properties, including the refractive index, acid value, and free fatty acid content, further confirmed the oil stability. The optimized process provides a sustainable and efficient extraction protocol for omega-3-rich flax oil extraction aligned with industrial cost-efficiency and green chemistry principles.
Table grapes are highly perishable and economically important commodities, requiring tightly controlled postharvest systems to maintain quality during extended export chains.
Legume hulls, often considered byproducts, are sustainable sources of phenolics and minerals. Their utilisation targets the sustainable development goals by reducing waste and improving the nutritional value of conventional foods. In the present study, pasta was prepared by replacing semolina with legume (chickpea, black gram, and moong bean) hulls at 10%, 20%, and 30% levels. Hull incorporation significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the cooking quality, increasing the minimum cooking time (11.3-14.3 min), water absorption (121-157%), volume expansion (up to 233%), and gruel solid loss (up to 5.31%), with more pronounced effects observed at higher substitution levels. Sensory evaluation also revealed significant changes in the acceptability upon an increase in hull incorporation levels. Principal component analysis concluded that pasta containing 20% legume hulls achieved the optimum balance in cooking and organoleptic qualities; therefore, these samples were further analysed for their nutritional and technofunctional properties. The incorporation of legume hulls resulted in increased ash, fat, and fibre contents; however, the carbohydrate content decreased. The amino acid profile revealed an enhancement in the lysine, tyrosine, tryptophan, valine, leucine, and threonine contents in hull-incorporated pasta, while in vitro protein digestibility showed minor variation. Moreover, hull incorporation modulated the mineral and phenolic profiles; notably, black gram hull pasta showed an enrichment of catechin, syringic acid, and coumaric acid. The pasting profile revealed reduced peak and final viscosities, while FTIR and SEM analyses demonstrated fibre-induced disruption of the starch-protein matrix while preserving the functional groups and overall structural integrity. The present study highlights the potential of legume hulls as sustainable functional ingredients, supporting circular bioeconomy strategies while advancing the development of nutrient-dense staple foods.
A shift to a sustainable and healthy diet is key to the establishment of a sustainable food system and the achievement of the sustainable development agenda. To enable this dietary shift, the exploration and development of sustainable, accessible, and affordable ingredients that can be integrated into the daily diet and the protection and promotion of traditional healthy diets are important actions. In the traditional Chinese diet, Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) is a medicinal and food homology ingredient with extensive health-promoting effects and is widely used for culinary applications and food development. This makes Chenpi a valuable ingredient that has high potential to contribute to the achievement of a widespread, sustainable and healthy diet. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the major constituents of Chenpi and current advances in its development and food applications, aiming to maximise its potential in daily diets and contribute to the achievement of sustainable and healthy diets and food systems.
Aflatoxins (AFs), primarily produced by Aspergillus species, are among the most hazardous mycotoxins due to their widespread occurrence in food and feed and their strong mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. Maintaining aflatoxin levels within permissible limits is critical for human and animal health, emphasizing the need for effective detoxification strategies. This review explores irradiation and cold plasma technologies as promising approaches for mitigating aflatoxin contamination. Irradiation methods, including gamma rays, ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, and X-rays, exhibit high reactivity and penetrability, enabling AF degradation and reduction of toxicity. Cold plasma generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that induce oxidative degradation under mild processing conditions. The review also summarizes analytical and biological assays used to evaluate the mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of intact aflatoxins and their degradation products. Evidence highlights these technologies as practical detoxification tools; however, gaps remain regarding the detailed mechanisms of aflatoxin degradation and the chemical identity and toxicological profiles of byproducts. Furthermore, although food irradiation up to an average absorbed dose of 10 kGy has been widely recognized as safe, additional toxicological and epidemiological studies on specific aflatoxin degradation products would further strengthen the safety assessment of irradiated commodities. Advancing this knowledge will support the broader adoption of irradiation and cold plasma technologies as viable, sustainable tools for reducing aflatoxin risks in global food and feed supplies.
Dietary fiber has high nutritional value and performs important physiological functions. Therefore, the preparation of high-quality dietary fiber has become an important research topic. Herein, we summarize the research status of the extraction and modification of dietary fiber by ultrasonic technology in recent years. The characteristics and working principles of ultrasonics were analyzed. The effects of ultrasonic extraction and modification were analyzed, and the working mechanism and influencing factors of ultrasonic extraction and modification were expounded. Finally, the existing problems were summarized, and the developmental prospects of ultrasonic technology were considered to provide a theoretical reference for the high-value utilization of dietary fiber resources. The advantages of ultrasonic technology are its high extraction efficiency, mild extraction conditions, excellent modification effect, environmental friendliness, and low energy consumption, and because of these characteristics, it is one of the most promising technologies for the extraction and modification of dietary fiber.
