Abstract The objective of this investigation was to develop a salad dressing using tofu processing wastewater (soymilk whey), flaxseed oil and polymeric carbohydrates through membrane emulsification technology. Soymilk whey was obtained via citric acid-induced protein precipitation and treated with papain to reduce its allergenic activity. The effect of papain concentration on allergen reduction in soymilk whey was evaluated. In later exercise, membrane emulsification was employed to formulate the salad dressing, where flaxseed oil and polymeric carbohydrates in soymilk whey were considered as the dispersed phase and the continuous phase, respectively. The effect of different carbohydrate proportions in the continuous phase on emulsion stability was investigated. Results demonstrated that enzymatic hydrolysis significantly reduced the allergenic activity of soybean proteins. An optimal formulation was achieved using 116.8 g L −1 gum Arabic and 29.2 g L −1 modified starch, with a flaxseed oil to carbohydrate ratio of 2.2, resulting in minimal phase separation and improved emulsion stability.

This study explores the use of microwave-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) using aqueous ethanolic and β-cyclodextrin solvents. The experiments were performed according to Response Surface Methodology, and the central composite design was employed, with the independent variables being treatment time, microwave power and solvent concentration. During the research, the total polyphenol content (TPC, expressed as gallic acid equivalents, GAE), total flavonoid content (TFC, expressed as quercetin equivalents, QUE), antioxidant capacity (AC) using the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, expressed as ascorbic acid equivalents, ASE) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) methods, and total menthol content (TMC, expressed as menthol equivalents, MEE) were examined. For the ethanolic extraction, the optimum conditions were 571 W, 7.3 min, and 10% v/v. The following results were obtained for these parameters: TPC, 1025 µg GAE/mL; TFC, 66.69 µg QUE/mL; FRAP, 3786.24 µg ASE/mL; DPPH, 80.24%; and TMC, 62.63 µg MEE/mL. In the case of β-cyclodextrin, the optimum conditions are 800 W, 11.81 min, and 1.70 mM. In this case, the results are as follows: TPC, 949.29 µg GAE/mL; TFC, 90.75 µg QUE/mL; FRAP, 4275.54 µg ASE/mL; DPPH, 89.81%; and TMC, 84.99 µg MEE/mL. β-cyclodextrin increased the flavonoid, antioxidant and menthol content, although there were no significant differences between the concentrations. The use of ethanol had a greater effect on the polyphenol content. β-cyclodextrin proved to be an effective green alternative solvent for peppermint.

AIM:This study aimed to evaluate the influence of emulsification and drying techniques on the microencapsulation efficiency and stability of onion seed oil. METHODS:Emulsions were prepared using rotor-stator homogenisation and cross-flow membrane emulsification, followed by spray drying or freeze drying. Three wall systems were tested: whey protein isolate (WPI), WPI/maltodextrin (MD), and WPI/trehalose (TRH). Encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, particle size, morphology, NIR spectroscopy, and principal component analysis were performed. RESULTS:The highest encapsulation efficiency was obtained with spray-dried WPI/TRH microcapsules (83.08 ± 0.13%), followed by freeze-dried WPI/TRH (81.37 ± 0.36%). Spray-dried samples showed lower moisture and fewer fat-related NIR absorption bands. TRH formulations produced smoother, more spherical particles with reduced surface oil. PCA confirmed clustering according to drying method. CONCLUSIONS:The WPI/TRH system combined with spray drying significantly enhances onion seed oil protection, demonstrating strong potential for functional food applications.

The microencapsulation of tea and herbal extracts is gaining considerable attention in the food industry, particularly in the production of instant powders. This review examines the application of spray-drying and freeze-drying technologies for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, focusing on the role of wall materials. Over the past two decades, carbohydrate-based (e.g., maltodextrin), gum-based (e.g., gum Arabic), and protein-based (e.g., whey protein isolate) materials have been widely used due to their impact on sensory properties, stability, protection of bioactive compounds, and other critical attributes of encapsulated products. Despite their widespread use, these materials have distinct advantages and limitations, such as cost, availability, and compatibility with different extracts. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of their physical and chemical properties, examines alternative and emerging wall materials (e.g., beta-cyclodextrin, sodium alginate, and inulin), and highlights the potential of combining different materials to optimise encapsulation outcomes. It also identifies current research gaps and future directions to improve the efficacy and quality of encapsulated tea and herbal powders.

The purpose of this study was to explore the dishwasher exposure effects on bacterial reduction, mechanical properties, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 3D printed food-contact material objects (FCMs) fabricated from Polymaker PETG and NonOilen filaments which can get in contact with food materials. Samples were subjected to hand washing as simulation of the well-known everyday kitchen cleaning procedure and regular dishwasher cycles for bacterial reduction. The efficiency of the bacterial reduction was tested by comparing microbial performance between samples that received hand washing and samples cleaned by the dishwasher, the results indicating that the treatment of dishwasher was superior in reducing bacterial load. Mechanical property evaluations (tensile strength, layer adhesion, bending and impact resistances) and HDT were carried out for samples subjected to dishwasher cycles and compared with the non-washed as the control samples. The results revealed a significant impact of the dishwasher on the mechanical properties and the HDT with respect to both materials: Polymaker PETG and NonOilen.

For a long time, olive oil has been considered for formulation of biopharmaceuticals and received a prestigious place in cuisine for its unique organoleptic and nutritional properties. Nevertheless, oxidation of fatty acids in olive oil provides short shelf-life and undesirable organoleptic properties. Thus, microen-capsulation of olive oil is a considerable promising approach to maintain its quality and biological activities. The objective of this investigation was to prepare extra virgin olive oil microcapsule by sequential tech-nologies, such as water emulsification of olive oil with wall material (matrix) and freeze drying of emulsion. The effect of wall material composition was examined to prepare microcapsule of extra virgin olive oil. Different ratios of wall materials such as maltodextrin (MD), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and gum arabic (GA) were used. Furthermore, effects of emulsification technologies, such as homogenisation with rotor-stator homogeniser (RSH) and cross -flow membrane emulsification (CFME) were investigated. The stability of emulsion was higher when emulsion was prepared by RSH; however, the droplet mean diameter (D32) was lower in case of RSH compared to CFME. The highest encapsulation efficiency (EE) was found as 68.96 & PLUSMN; 2.6% when CFME was adopted and composition of wall materials was 15 g MD, 15 g GA, and 5 g CMC.

Microencapsulation of extra virgin olive oil has been taken into consideration. Initially, emulsions were prepared using extra virgin olive oil and aqueous solutions of different proportions of maltodextrin (MD) having dextrose equivalent (DE) 19 and whey protein isolates (WPI), such as 100% MD, 100% WPI, 25% MD + 75% WPI, 50% MD + 50% WPI and 75% MD + 25% WPI. Subsequently, emulsions were used for dehydration by either spray-drying (SD) or freeze-drying (FD) to produce olive oil microcapsules. Emulsion stability, viscosity and droplet size influenced the characteristics of the microcapsules. The highest encapsulation efficiency was achieved using 50% MD + 50% WPI in the emulsions with subsequent SD. The moisture content of the microcapsules increased with increasing proportions of MD. The size of the microcapsules increased with increasing proportions of WPI. The bulk density and tapped density were reduced with higher proportions of MD in the microcapsules. Furthermore, microcapsules with a higher proportion of MD exhibited poor flowability and high cohesiveness. Microcapsules from the higher proportion MD emulsions, followed by SD were spherical with a smooth surface; however, microcapsules with dent structures were produced from 100% WPI in the emulsions with subsequent SD. Microcapsules, produced from emulsions with a higher proportion of WPI, followed by FD were flat flakes and had irregular surfaces.

In present century, upgradation of agriculture is received a great attention because they satisfy daily needs in community and sustainable economic growth. Advantageous biological activities, offered by nanomaterials, open a new horizon in agriculture. In the context of agriculture, a great revolution is development and use of agrochemicals, such as nanofertilizer and nanopesticide. Activities of nanomaterials depend on (a) size, (b) shape, (c) morphology, (d) surface porosity, (e) composition, (f) redox potential, (g) charge in surface and (h) particle aggregation. Nanofertilizers are (a) better water soluble in soil, and easily available for seed and plants, (b) faster absorbed and assimilated by germinating seed and plant, (c) controlled delivery system for fertilizers and (d) with low fertilizer wastage due to leaching, degradation by biochemical reactions (hydrolysis, photolysis and decomposition) and gas forming. Nanofertilizers promote (a) seed germination, (b) plant growth, (c) chlorophyll formation, (d) photosynthesis rate and (e) stimulate the rhizosphere/soil microflora in agricultural field. Nanopesticides are (a) better soluble in water compare to conventional hydrophobic pesticides, (b) highly bioavailable and efficient to carry pesticides, (c) controlled delivery system for pesticides and (d) with low wastage due to degradation by ultra violet light, air, moisture, high temperature, biochemical reactions and rain fastness. Nanopesticides offer (a) antibacterial, (b) antifungal and (c) antiviral activities, and protect seeds and plants. In this chapter, information about development of nanofertilizers and nanopesticides, the mechanisms of biochemical activities and their applications in agriculture are represented in comprehensive way. It is expected that this chapter will grab lots of attentions from many research communities with different backgrounds.

Lactose-derived prebiotics provide wide ranges of gastrointestinal comforts. In this review article, the probable biochemical mechanisms through which lactose-derived prebiotics offer positive gastrointestinal health are reported along with the up-to-date results of clinical investigations; this might be the first review article of its kind, to the best of our knowledge. Lactose-derived prebiotics have unique biological and functional values, and they are confirmed as 'safe' by the Food and Drug Administration federal agency. Medical practitioners frequently recommend them as therapeutics as a pure form or combined with dairy-based products (yoghurt, milk and infant formulas) or fruit juices. The biological activities of lactose-derived prebiotics are expressed in the presence of gut microflora, mainly probiotics (Lactobacillus spp. in the small intestine and Bifidobacterium spp. in the large intestine). Clinical investigations reveal that galacto-oligosaccharide reduces the risks of several types of diarrhea (traveler's diarrhea, osmotic diarrhea and Clostridium difficile associated relapsing diarrhea). Lactulose and lactosucrose prevent inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). Lactulose and lactitol reduce the risk of hepatic encephalopathy. Furthermore, lactulose, galacto-oligosaccharide and lactitol prevent constipation in individuals of all ages. It is expected that the present review article will receive great attention from medical practitioners and food technologists.

Microencapsulation technology is a method that is widely used in the food industry. By comparing the latest encapsulation techniques, a significant number of publications concern membrane technology. The term “membrane- based encapsulation” entails that the first step of the technique is the preparation of emulsion with the help of microporous membranes. Generally, in microencapsulation technologies, the wall material is dissolved in a continuous phase and oil is dispersed within it. In the present investigation, a new method of preparing microcapsules composed of vegetable oil and maltodextrin was developed. In the first step, the wall material (maltodextrin) was dissolved in oil and considered as a dispersed phase, subsequently, it was introduced into a continuous phase (water) through a microporous membrane. A comparative study was conducted between conventional microencapsulation techniques and one developed in our laboratory. The average particle size of microcapsules prepared by our method is smaller than the size allowed by other methods. After encapsulation preparation, fine-tuned microcapsules were produced by spray drying. However, the main disadvantage of our proposed technology is rapid membrane fouling, because of high concentrations of solute in the dispersed phase. This problem can be eliminated by judicious and systematic investigations.

In this work, oil-in-water emulsions (O/W) were prepared successfully by membrane emulsification with 0.5 mu m pore size membrane. Sunflower oil was emulsified in aqueous Tween80 solution with a simple cross-flow apparatus equipped with ceramic tube membrane. In order to increase the shear-stress near the membrane wall, a helical-shaped reducer was installed within the lumen side of the tube membrane. This method allows the reduction of continuous phase flow and the increase of dispersed phase flux, for cost effective production. Results were compared with the conventional cross-flow membrane emulsification method. Monodisperse O/W emulsions were obtained using tubular membrane with droplet size in the range 3.3-4.6 mu m corresponded to the membrane pore diameter of 0.5 mu m. The final aim of this study is to obtain O/W emulsions by simple membrane emulsification method without reducer and compare the results obtained by membrane equipped with helix shaped reducer. To indicate the results statistical methods, 3(p) type full factorial experimental designs were evaluated, using software called STATISTICA. For prediction of the flux, droplet size and PDI a mathematical model was set up which can describe well the dependent variables in the studied range, namely the run of the flux and the mean droplet diameter and the effects of operating parameters. The results suggested that polynomial model is adequate for representation of selected responses.

In present work primarily achievement in energy efficient food production were targeted. Over the last 20 years, there has been a growing interest in a technique for making emulsions known as ‘‘membrane emulsification” which allows the production of emulsion droplets under controlled conditions with a narrow size distribution. Vinaigrette is a mixture of oil and vinegar. In the present work vinaigrette was prepared in two ways. The first one was prepared by hand in the traditional way. The second sample was pr epared by membrane technology. After preparation of vinaigrette, the panel test is carried out by trained panelist in order to know the quality and customer preference. After series of experiments and data analysis it can be concluded that cross-flow ME is suitable for green production of W/O emulsions like vinaigrette, and the technology we used looks suitable for industrial applications.

The objective of the proposed investigation was to synthesis of precursor oil-carbohydrate microcapsule, suspended in water by membrane emulsification technology. To select the carrier material of precursor microcapsules, four different carbohydrates (maltodextrin, hydroxypropyl cellulose, potato starch and corn starch) were tested. Preliminary, zeta-potential, molecular weight and particle size of individual carbohydrate were estimated by Malvern Zetasizer instrument. Based on the results of the preliminary characterizations, maltodextrin was selected to carry out subsequent experiments. Maltodextrin suspended in oil and water were considered as dispersed phase and continuous phase respectively. An attempt has been made to remove the water, as well as to recover the microcapsules. It was observed that average particle size of synthesized microcapsule is 6.9 μm and stability of the microcapsule is at least 6 weeks.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used for modelling flow regime in a porous tube. This tube is an ultrafiltration membrane filter made from zirconium-oxide which is very effective in the separation of stable oil-in-water microemulsions, especially when the tube is filled with static mixer. The results of the CFD analysis were used in the preliminary optimisation of the static mixer’s geometry since it has significant effect the energy requirement of this advanced membrane technology. The self-developed static mixers were tested “in vitro” from the aspect of separation quality and process productivity as well to validate CFD results and to develop a cost effective, green method to recover unmanageable oily wastewaters for sustainable development. In this work the results of computational simulation of the fluid velocity and membrane separation experiments are discussed.

Membrane emulsification (ME) is a relatively new technique for the highly controlled production of particulates, which helps to obtain a narrower distribution compared to other emulsification techniques such as homogenizers or ultrasound. Benefits of membrane emulsification for food applications include the low shear properties and the uniform size distribution. In this process, the dispersed phase (oil) is pressed through the pores of a microporous membrane directly into the continuous phase (water) flowing tangentially to the membrane surface. The purpose of the emulsification experimentations was to find and model operating conditions of the operation. In laboratory experiments from conventional, commercial grade sunflower oil (dispersed phase) and from distilled water (solid phase), emulsions were prepared. The ceramic tube membrane with nominal pore size of 1.4 mu m was used in the experiments (ZrO2). In order to increase the shear-stress near the membrane wall (influence the characteristics of the flow regime of the continuous phase), a kind of self-fabricated helical-shaped-ribbon reducer was installed inside the tube membrane.

Different osmotic agents (OA), such as potassium acetate (CH3COOK), potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), have been examined as alternatives to the traditionally used calcium chloride (CaCl2) for osmotic distillation concentrating of clarified and pre-concentrated sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) juice. Comparison of the process performances based on the permeate fluxes has been carried out. Regarding the permeate flux results, simplified estimation of the overall mass transfer coefficient of the most effective osmotic agent and the reference (CaCl2) solution has been also performed. Furthermore, analytical methods such as total antioxidant activity (TAA) and total polyphenolic content (TPC) using spectrophotometric assays have been also carried out to evaluate the effect of the osmotic distillation on the valuable compounds content of concentrated sour cherry juice. CH3COOK was found to be the most effective, resulted more than 25% higher permeate flux during the sour cherry juice concentration. K2CO3 and NH4NO3 were less effective. The simplified mass transfer estimation showed that the CH3COOK is more effective only at near saturated concentrations compared to the CaCl2. Regarding the TAA and TPC contents, a significant loss was found in case of all OAs during the concentration procedures.