Refined vegetable oils depend on tocopherols as their primary natural antioxidants, yet their behavior differs from that observed in model-stripped systems. This study evaluated how tocopherol homologue degradation relates to the lipid oxidation lag phase in refined soybean oil (RSO) and stripped soybean oil (SSO). Tocopherol depletion, lipid hydroperoxides, and headspace hexanal were monitored during accelerated oxidation at 55 °C. In RSO, α-tocopherol depletion coincided with the end of the hexanal lag phase (12 days), despite 56% and 74% of (γ+β)- and δ-tocopherol remaining, respectively, suggesting limited antioxidant contributions from these homologues. In contrast, in SSO, all tocopherol homologues, whether added individually or in combinations, were depleted by more than 90% by the end of the lag phase, indicating that each homologue actively participated in inhibiting lipid oxidation. These differences are likely related to association colloids in refined oils that restrict homologue activity, highlighting opportunities to improve shelf life by enhancing tocopherol effectiveness.

IntroductionThe generally recognized as safe (GRAS) fungus Aspergillus oryzae has been used for millennia in the production of traditional Asian fermented foods and beverages. Domestication has led to genomic and phenotypic adaptations that distinguish A. oryzae from its wild relative, Aspergillus flavus. While differences between these species have been partially characterized, their comparative production of volatile compounds during food fermentation remains poorly understood.MethodsWe evaluated alpha-amylase activity, aflatoxin production, taste attributes using an electronic tongue, and volatile profiles using dynamic headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Analyses were conducted during rice fermentation using the food-grade strain A. oryzae RIB40 and two wild A. flavus strains, NPK13tox and AflaGuard.ResultsA. oryzae RIB40 exhibited significantly higher alpha-amylase activity during rice fermentation, and aflatoxin production was detected only in A. flavus NPK13tox. Sensory analysis revealed that rice fermented by A. oryzae RIB40 had significantly lower astringency, aftertaste, and bitterness, along with significantly higher richness (defined as umami aftertaste). Volatile profiling showed that A. oryzae RIB40 produced a greater number and higher concentrations of volatile compounds relative to rice fermented by A. flavus strains. Many of these volatiles, including 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol, 3-octen-2-one, 2-methyl-butanal, and 3-methyl-butanal, are associated with pleasant sensory attributes and have been previously linked to A. oryzae-fermented foods.DiscussionThese findings suggest that the volatilome of A. oryzae RIB40 has been shaped by domestication to produce a more desirable sensory profile. This profile is enriched in alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and heterocyclic compounds that contribute fruity, umami, and malty notes, highlighting the role of domestication in optimizing sensory outcomes during food fermentation.

Predicting the stabilizing efficacy of antioxidant mixtures in food oil emulsions is highly complex due to synergistic or antagonistic interactions between individual antioxidants. To address this challenge, we present an innovative hybrid machine learning framework, known as universal differential equations (UDEs), which integrates the expressive power of deep learning with the mechanistic boundaries of traditional kinetic models. We demonstrate the utility of this data-efficient approach by characterizing the coupled degradation dynamics of α-tocopherol in the presence of myricetin in oil. By embedding compact artificial neural networks directly into a system of ordinary differential equations, the hybrid UDE model successfully learned the hidden interactions from a small dataset, quantitatively revealing their mutualistic protection. Furthermore, we translated these machine-learned interactions into an interpretable, fully analytical model based on Hill-type saturation kinetics. Critically, this transparent analytical model not only accurately reproduced the training data (R2 = 0.998) but successfully extrapolated antioxidant dynamics to previously unseen experimental formulations (R2 = 0.978) with a fivefold increase in myricetin concentration. This work provides a powerful, interpretable AI tool for understanding complex kinetic interactions in food systems, with broad applications for accelerating product development, optimizing preservation strategies, and extending food shelf life.

Collecting data on cooking yields of different food products is critical for accurately calculating food composition and nutritional changes after food processing. Ground meat is a good example of a food product that will undergo significant yield changes during cooking. This manuscript investigates yield changes as well as changes in fat and moisture content of ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and a plant-based meat product cooked in a food service facility. The findings demonstrated a strong relationship between the initial fat content of the meat and yield, with higher fat content resulting in decreased yield. It was also observed that in meats with lower fat content, moisture loss had a bigger impact on yield than fat loss. The findings of this study will help in the calculation of nutritional content of cooked meat and may help in the use of future technologies such as artificial intelligence to estimate the nutritional content of meats.

Accurate shelf-life prediction for fats and oils is essential, yet traditional lipid oxidation models are often time-consuming and unreliable. Since antioxidants deplete as oxidation progresses, tracking their loss alongside oxidation products could improve lag phase predictions. This study investigates a rapid, cost-effective spectrophotometric test to quantify antioxidant depletion in soybean and corn oils for potential use in mathematical modeling. Results showed that alpha-tocopherol was fully degraded by the end of the oxidation lag phase, while (gamma + beta)- and delta-tocopherols concentrations remained at > 70% (soybean oil) and 65% (corn oil). DPPH scavenging activity initially declined with tocopherol loss but later increased (up to 79%), likely due to lipid radical interference. Further analysis confirmed DPPH reacts with free radicals, compromising its specificity to only detecting antioxidants. To address this, the ABTS assay was tested, requiring prior antioxidant extraction from oil due to its water-soluble nature. Unlike DPPH, ABTS inhibition dropped to zero once all tocopherols were depleted, confirming its higher specificity. However, this depletion did not align with the oxidation lag phase, as (gamma + beta)- and delta-tocopherols were not completely depleted at the end of the lag phase. These findings highlight three key insights: (i) (gamma + beta)- and delta-tocopherols are less effective than alpha-tocopherol in inhibiting lipid oxidation in commercial oils, persisting even after oxidation begins; (ii) the direct application of DPPH in lipid-containing matrices can yield misleading results, as it reacts with lipid radicals during oxidation; (iii) while ABTS specifically tracks antioxidant depletion, it might be unsuitable for kinetic modeling due to minimal change during the lag phase.

Background and Aims Human studies suggest that a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). PUFA is highly prone to oxidation. To date, it is unclear whether unoxidized or oxidized PUFA is involved in the development of IBD. Here, we aim to compare the effects of unoxidized PUFA vs oxidized PUFA on the development of IBD and associated colorectal cancer.Methods We evaluated the effects of unoxidized and oxidized PUFA on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced and IL-10 knockout-induced colitis, and azoxymethane/DSS-induced colon tumorigenesis in mice. Additionally, we studied the roles of gut microbiota and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling involved.Results Administration of a diet containing oxidized PUFA, at human consumption-relevant levels, increases the severity of colitis and exacerbates the development of colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis in mice. Conversely, a diet rich in unoxidized PUFA does not promote colitis. Furthermore, oxidized PUFA worsens colitis-associated intestinal barrier dysfunction and leads to increased bacterial translocation, and it fails to promote colitis in TLR4 knockout mice. Finally, oxidized PUFA alters the diversity and composition of gut microbiota, and it fails to promote colitis in mice lacking the microbiota.Conclusions These results support that oxidized PUFA promotes the development of colitis and associated tumorigenesis in mouse models via TLR4- and gut microbiota-dependent mechanisms. Our findings highlight the potential need to update regulation policies and industrial standards for oxidized PUFA levels in food.

Accurately modeling the degradation of food antioxidants in oils is essential for understanding oxidative stability and improving food shelf life. This study presents an innovative machine learning approach integrating neural differential equations and sparse symbolic regression to derive a parsimonious differential equation for myricetin degradation in stripped soybean oil. Despite being trained on a small experimental dataset, the model successfully predicts degradation trends across a wide range of initial concentrations and extrapolates beyond the learning data. This capability demonstrates the robustness of machine learning for uncovering governing equations in complex food systems, particularly when experimental data is scarce. Our findings provide a framework for improving antioxidant efficiency in food formulations.

Lipid oxidation is a complex process in muscle-based foods (red meat, poultry and fish) causing severe quality deterioration, e.g., off-odors, discoloration, texture defects and nutritional loss. The complexity of muscle tissue -both composition and structure- poses as a formidable challenge in directly clarifying the mechanisms of lipid oxidation in muscle-based foods. Therefore, different in vitro model systems simulating different aspects of muscle have been used to study the pathways of lipid oxidation. In this review, we discuss the principle, preparation, implementation as well as advantages and disadvantages of seven commonly-studied model systems that mimic either compositional or structural aspects of actual meat: emulsions, fatty acid micelles, liposomes, microsomes, erythrocytes, washed muscle mince, and muscle homogenates. Furthermore, we evaluate the prospects of stem cells, tissue cultures and three-dimensional printing for future model system development. Based on this reviewing of oxidation models, tailoring correct model to different study aims could be facilitated, and readers are becoming acquainted with advantages and shortcomings. In addition, insight into recent technology developments, e.g., stem cell- and tissue-cultures as well as three-dimensional printing could provide new opportunities to overcome the current bottlenecks of lipid oxidation studies in muscle.

Processed foods have been part of the American diet for decades, with key roles in providing a safe, available, affordable, and nutritious food supply. The USDA Food Guides beginning in 1916 and the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) since 1980 have included various types of commonly consumed processed foods (e.g., heated, fermented, dried) as part of their recommendations. However, there are multiple classification systems based on “level” of food processing, and additional evidence is needed to establish the specific properties of foods classified as “highly” or “ultra”-processed (HPF/UPFs). Importantly, many foods are captured under HPF/UPF definitions, ranging from ready-to-eat fortified whole grain breakfast cereals to sugar-sweetened beverages and baked goods. The consequences of implementing dietary guidance to limit all intake of foods currently classified as HPF/UPF may require additional scrutiny to evaluate the impact on consumers’ ability to meet daily nutrient recommendations and to access affordable food, and ultimately, on health outcomes. Based on a meeting held by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences in May 2023, this paper provides perspectives on the broad array of foods classified as HPF/UPFs based on processing and formulation, including contributions to nutrient intake and dietary patterns, food acceptability, and cost. Characteristics of foods classified as UPF/HPFs are considered, including the roles and safety approval of food additives and the effect of food processing on the food matrix. Finally, this paper identifies information gaps and research needs to better understand how the processing of food affects nutrition and health outcomes.

There is growing interest in replacing meat products with plant-based alternatives for environmental, health, and animal welfare reasons. Plant-based meat analogs are usually designed to have sensorial characteristics that match those of real meat. Lipids play a significant role in this. Therefore, there is interest in using structured plant-based lipids, like oleogels and emulsions, to replace the adipose tissue and other fats in meat analogs. Moreover, there is interest in creating natural antioxidant strategies to improve the quality and shelf life of the lipids in plant-based foods. However, further research is still needed to develop plant-based lipids that accurately mimic the behavior of animal-based ones. This review explores and discusses various technological approaches to address challenges in creating plant-based alternatives to animal fats, particularly in the context of meat and dairy products, to provides insights into innovative approaches for improving the sustainability, health, and sensory attributes of plant-based meat analogs, addressing challenges related to texture, oxidation, and overall product quality.

Cellular agriculture products, like myoglobin, are increasingly used by the food industry to provide desirable sensory properties to plant-based meat substitutes. This study elucidated the physicochemical properties and redox stability of myoglobin from both natural (equine) and cellular agriculture (bovine, sperm whale, and leopard) sources. The electrical characteristics and water-solubility of the different myoglobin samples were measured from pH 2.5 to 8.5. The isoelectric point of the myoglobin samples depended on the species, being pH 5.5 for equine, pH 4.5 for leopard and bovine, and pH 6.5 for sperm whale. All myoglobin samples had a solubility greater than 80% across the entire pH range studied. All myoglobin solutions appeared red and had two peaks in their UV-visible absorbance spectra after one day, which is consistent with oxymyoglobin formation. Equine myoglobin at pH 8 was selected to study its redox and color stability over time, where the oxymyoglobin oxidative status closely paralleled with the redness of the solutions. The effects of antioxidants (ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, gallic acid, quercetin, taxifolin, Trolox, and 4-methylcatechol) on the redox and color stability (redness) of the equine myoglobin (pH 8.0) was also studied. Antioxidants with low reduction potential values (ascorbic acid and quercetin) were particularly effective at enhancing the color stability of oxymyoglobin. The computational modeling study showed that amino acids on the myoglobin interacted with antioxidants through hydrogen bonds. The insights obtained may have important implications for the use of cellular agriculture to produce myoglobin for food applications.

alpha-Tocopherol (alpha-TOC) and myricetin (MYR) synergistically inhibit lipid oxidation in bulk oil but the mechanism underlying this effect is unknown. In this research, stripped soybean oil (SSO) was treated with alpha-tocopherol (50 mu M), myricetin (10-250 mu M), and their combinations. Taxifolin (TAX) was also tested because it has structural similarities to myricetin but with a higher redox potential. alpha-Tocopherol: myricetin ratios of 5:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:5 resulted in extended lag phases ranging from 16 to 99 days, with lag phase increasing with increasing myricetin concentrations. Synergism between alpha-tocopherol and myricetin was also observed in phospholipid-containing bulk oils both in the absence and presence of reverse micelles, although the reverse micelles shortened the lag phases. Myricetin (redox potential = 360 mV) delayed the oxidation of alpha-tocopherol (redox potential = 500 mV) whereas taxifolin (redox potential = 500 mV) did not. Both myricetin and taxifolin were able to chelate iron as determined by UV-VIS spectroscopy. These results suggested that the lower redox potential of myricetin allowed it to produce synergistic antioxidant activity potentially by regenerating oxidized alpha-tocopherol and through its ability to decrease oxidation by metal chelation.

The kinetics of lipid oxidation includes a lag phase followed by an exponential increase in oxidation products, which cause rancidity. Current models focus on the slope of this exponential curve for shelf-life estimation, which still requires the measurement of full oxidation kinetics. In this paper, we analyzed the formation of lipid oxidation products in stripped soybean oil containing different levels of α-tocopherol. The lag phases of lipid hydroperoxides and headspace hexanal formation were found to have a strong positive correlation with the α-tocopherol depletion time. We propose that the kinetics of antioxidant (α-tocopherol) depletion occur during the lag phase and could serve as an early shelf-life indicator. Our results showed that α-tocopherol degradation can be described by Weibull kinetics over a wide range of initial concentrations. Furthermore, we conducted in silico investigations using Monte Carlo simulations to critically evaluate the feasibility and sensitivity of the shelf-life prediction using early antioxidant degradation kinetics. Our results revealed that the shelf life of soybean oil may be accurately predicted as early as 20% of the overall shelf life. This innovative approach provides a more efficient and faster assessment of shelf life, ultimately reducing waste and enhancing product quality.

Plant oil bodies (OBs) consist of a continuous monolayer of phospholipids-interfacial proteins covering the central triglycerides, which confers them extreme physicochemical stability. In this paper, rice bran OBs (RBOBs) extracted with NaHCO3 as a medium at pH 7.5–11.0 were naturally pre-emulsified spherical droplets with integral interfacial structures. The extraction pH determined the physicochemical properties, stability and interfacial behavior of RBOBs by affecting their interfacial properties. RBOBs extracted at pH 7.5 had more protein chains inserted into the acyl chains of the lipids, causing the RBOBs to be more stable, whereas at pH 11.0, the contents of PL and protein supported on the surface of TAGs core decreased significantly, the interfacial proteins were more flexible and looser, and part of the hydrophobic amino acids originally inserted in the TAGs core were exposed, destabilizing the OBs. RBOBs could spontaneously adsorb at the oil-water interface and form an interfacial film with elasticity as the primary feature. The structural rearrangement of the surface-active components was crucial to the formation of the interfacial membrane. More small-sized OBs like Pickering stabilizers adsorbed intact at the oil-water interface, creating ordered dense film (monolayer) particles. In contrast, large-sized RBOBs readily ruptured with a more pronounced degree of structural rearrangement of phospholipid-protein membrane fragments and disordered interfacial adsorption behavior. The results provide a reference for the development of precisely emulsified systems based on the special structure of plant OBs.

Plant lipids are stored as emulsified lipid droplets also called lipid bodies, spherosomes, oleosomes or oil bodies. Oil bodies are found in many seeds such as cereals, legumes, or in microorganisms such as microalgae, bacteria or yeast. Oil Bodies are unique subcellular organelles with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 2.5 μm and are made of a triacylglycerols hydrophobic core that is surrounded by a unique monolayer membrane made of phospholipids and anchored proteins. Due to their unique properties, in particular their resistance to coalescence and aggregation, oil bodies have an interest in food formulations as they can constitute natural emulsified systems that does not need the addition of external emulsifier. This manuscript focuses on how extraction processes and other factors impact the oxidative stability of isolated oil bodies. The potential role of oil bodies in the oxidative stability of intact foods is also discussed. In particular, we discuss how constitutive components of oil bodies membranes are associated in a strong network that may have an antioxidant effect either by physical phenomenon or by chemical reactivities. Moreover, the importance of the selected process to extract oil bodies is discussed in terms of oxidative stability of the recovered oil bodies.

Plant extracts have demonstrated the ability to act as coagulants for milk coagulation at an adequate concentration, wide temperatures and pH ranges. This research is focused on the use of different vegetative extracts such asCitrusaurnatiumflower extract (CAFE), bromelain, fig latex, and melon extract as economical and beneficial coagulants in the development of plant-based cheddar-type cheese. The cheddar-type cheese samples were subjected to physicochemical analysis in comparison to controlled cheese samplesmade fromaceticacid and rennet. The fat, moisture, protein, and salt contents remained the same over the storage period, but a slight decline was observed inpH.The Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) increased with the passage of the ripening period. The FTIR and Raman spectra showed exponential changes and qualitative estimates in the binding and vibrational structure of lipids and protein in plant-based cheeses. The higher FTIR and Raman spectra bands were observed in acid, rennet, bromelain, and CAFE due to their firm and strong texture of cheese while lower spectra were observed in cheese made from melon extract due to weak curdling and textural properties. These plant extracts are economical and easily available alternative sources for cheese production with higher protein and nutritional contents.

This study aimed to enhance the oxidative stability of soybean oil‐in‐water emulsions using acid‐hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed extracts obtained from sugar beet leaves. The optimum extraction process, which includes 8 min of ultrasonication followed by a 2‐h acid hydrolysis, released new phenolics (e.g., catechin, myricetin, etc.) and increased the total phenolic content (TPC) from 586.24 ± 11.45 to 982.42 ± 6.61 μmol gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L, and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition from 46.63 ± 1.39 to 60.87 ± 1.12%. Acid hydrolysis increased the cupric chelating activity of the extracts while decreasing ferrous chelating activity and trans‐ferulic acid concentration significantly (p < 0.05). The acid‐hydrolyzed extract at a TPC of 100 μmol GAE/L prolonged the lag phase of hexanal accumulation in the emulsion from 0 to 8 days, while 400 μmol GAE/L TPC of unhydrolyzed extract increased the lag phase to 12 days. The results show that acid‐hydrolyzed extracts in high concentrations may act as prooxidants.

The antioxidant activity of the natural phenolic extracts is limited in particular food systems due to the existence of phenolic compounds in glycoside form. Acid hydrolysis post-treatment could be a tool to convert the glycosidic polyphenols in the extracts to aglycones. Therefore, this research investigated the effects of an acid hydrolysis post-treatment on the composition and antioxidant activity of parsley extracts obtained by an ultrasound-assisted extraction method to delay lipid oxidation in a real food system (i.e., soybean oil-in-water emulsion). Acid hydrolysis conditions were varied to maximize total phenolic content (TPC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. When extracts were exposed to 0.6 M HCl for 2 h at 80 ℃, TPC was 716.92 ± 24.43 µmol gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L, and DPPH radical scavenging activity was 66.89 ± 1.63 %. Not only did acid hydrolysis increase the concentrations of individual polyphenols, but it also resulted in the release of new phenolics such as myricetin and gallic acid. The extract's metal chelating and ferric-reducing activity increased significantly after acid hydrolysis. In soybean oil-in-water emulsion containing a TPC of 400 µmol GAE/L, the acid-hydrolyzed extract had an 11-day lag phase for headspace hexanal compared to the 6-day lag phase of unhydrolyzed extract. The findings indicated that the conversion of glycosidic polyphenols to aglycones in phenolic extracts can help extend the shelf-life of emulsion-based foods.

The shelf-life and quality of food products depend heavily on antioxidants, which protect lipids from free radical degradation. α-Tocopherol and myricetin, two potent antioxidants, synergistically enhance the prevention of oxidative rancidity in bulk oil systems. Understanding their degradation kinetics is essential for deepening our knowledge of their mechanisms and developing strategies to predict shelf-life before expiration. This paper introduces a generalized mathematical model to describe the degradation kinetics of α-tocopherol in the presence of myricetin. Using direct differential methods guided by a machine learning approach based on neural differential equations, we uncover two distinct phases of α-tocopherol degradation when coexisting with myricetin at varying concentration ratios. These findings inform the development of a mixed Weibull model that accurately captures the degradation process. Our study enhances the understanding of antioxidant interactions and provides a reliable method for predicting food system stability, offering valuable insights for optimizing natural antioxidants in food preservation.

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in food products. In these foods, lipids are often present in a bulk or in emulsified forms. In both systems, the rate, extent and pathway of oxidation are highly dependent on the presence of colloidal structures and interfaces because these are the locations where oxidation normally occurs. In bulk oils, reverse micelles (association colloids) are present and are believed to play a crucial role on lipid oxidation. Conversely, in emulsions, surfactant micelles are present that also play a major role in lipid oxidation pathways. After a brief description of lipid oxidation and antioxidants mechanisms, this review discusses the current understanding of the influence of micellar structures on lipid oxidation. In particular, is discussed the major impact of the presence of micelles in emulsions, or reverse micelles (association colloids) in bulk oil on the oxidative stability of both systems. Indeed, both micelles in emulsions and associate colloids in bulk oils are discussed in this review as nanoscale structures that can serve as reservoirs of antioxidants and pro-oxidants and are involved in their transport within the concerned system. Their role as nanoreactors where lipid oxidation reactions occur is also commented.