Submit to Foods Review for Foods Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Grain".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2023) | Viewed by 14490

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elena Peñas Pozo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jose Antonio Novais 6, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: grains; germination; fermentation; nutritional value; bioactive compounds; food quality and safety; gluten-free grain-derived products; celiac disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Cristina Martínez-Villaluenga

E-Mail
Guest Editor

Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jose Antonio Novais 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: grains; peptides; phenolic compounds; nutritional characterization; protein quality and digestibility; bioavailability of food compounds; bioactivity; germination; fermentation; enzymatic treatments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Grains (cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes) are important staple foods that are consumed globally. Grains are increasingly popular among consumers worldwide due to their high nutritional value and recognized health benefits linked to the presence of a wide range of bioactive compounds. Regular grain consumption has been associated with the prevention of many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. Due to their outstanding content of nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals, grains are commercially attractive ingredients for manufacturing innovative healthy food products. The conventional processing technologies used for transforming grains into food products involves mechanical, chemical, and physical transformations that may have a deleterious impact on the content, bioavailability, and activity of bioactive compounds and hence on the health benefits of grains. Demographic pressure and climate change are forcing the industry to adopt innovative processes based on eco-friendly technologies that avoid the use of harmful additives. Research efforts on innovative grain processing are working towards the preservation of levels of biologically active compounds and enhancement of their bioavailability in grains and derived foodstuffs. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP), pulsed electric fields (PEF), ultrasound (US), cold plasma (CP), germination, fermentation, puffing, extrusion. and parboiling exemplify sustainable technologies that are being explored for these purposes. This Special Issue is open to original research and review articles focused on recent advances in application of novel processing technologies aiming to produce more healthful ingredients and foodstuffs from commonly produced or underutilized cereals, pseudocereals, and legumes. We encourage authors to submit research articles providing new insights on the influence of processing technologies on the content, composition, bioavailability, bioactivity, and health-promoting properties of grains and derived ingredients/foodstuffs.

Dr. Elena Peñas Pozo
Dr. Cristina Martínez-Villaluenga
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cereals
pseudocereals
legumes
processing technologies
functional ingredients/foodstuffs
bioactive compounds
bioavailability
health
grain quality

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

20 pages, 1053 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Nutritional Profile of Pasta: The Impact of Sprouted Pseudocereals and Cushuro on Digestibility and Health Potential

by Luz María Paucar-Menacho, Juan Carlos Vásquez Guzmán, Wilson Daniel Simpalo-Lopez, Williams Esteward Castillo-Martínez and Cristina Martínez-Villaluenga

Foods 2023, 12(24), 4395; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244395 - 6 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1177

Abstract

We hypothesized that optimizing the formulation of pasta by incorporating sprouted pseudocereal flours, specifically quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) or kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus L.) and cushuro (Nostoc sphaericum Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault) flours, could offer the potential to simultaneously enhance nutritional quality and health-promoting properties in pasta. In this study, our objective was to optimize the formulation of composite flour (a ternary blend of wheat, sprouted pseudocereal, and cushuro flours) using a mixture composite design to maximize total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), antioxidant activity, and mineral bioaccesilability by reducing phytic acid (PA) content. Two optimal formulations were identified: one consisting of 79% wheat flour (WF), 13% SQF, and 8% CuF (oPQC), and the other composed of 70% WF, 15% SKF, and 15% CuF (oPKC). These optimized pastas exhibited reduced starch content and notably higher levels of total dietary fiber (1.5–3.61-fold), protein (1.16-fold), fat (1.3–1.5-fold), ash (2.2–2.7-fold), minerals (K, Na, Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn, and Ca), PA (3–4.5-fold), TSPC (1.3–1.9-fold), GABA (1.2–2.6-fold), and ORAC (6.5–8.7-fold) compared to control pasta (100% WF). Notably, the glycemic index of oPQC (59.8) was lower than that of oPKC (54.7) and control pasta (63.1). The nutritional profile of the optimized pasta was largely retained after cooking, although some significant losses were observed for soluble dietary fiber (18.2–44.0%), K (47.5–50.7%), Na (42.5–63.6), GABA (41.68–51.4%), TSPC (8–18%), and antioxidant activity (45.4–46.4%). In vitro digestion of cooked oPQC and oPKC demonstrated higher bioaccessible content of GABA (6.7–16.26 mg/100 g), TSPC (257.7–261.8 mg GAE/100 g), Ca (58.40–93.5 mg/100 g), and Fe (7.35–7.52 mg/100 g), as well as antioxidant activity (164.9–171.1 µmol TE/g) in intestinal digestates compared to control pasta. These findings suggest that the incorporation of sprouted pseudocereals and cushuro flour offers a promising approach to enhance the nutritional quality and bioactive content of wheat-based pasta, potentially providing health benefits beyond traditional formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 4104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bean Cuisine: The Potential of Citizen Science to Help Motivate Changes in Pulse Knowledge and Consumption

by Chelsea Didinger, Marisa Bunning and Henry J. Thompson

Foods 2023, 12(14), 2667; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142667 - 11 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1394

Abstract

Pulses, or the dry, edible seeds of non-oilseed legumes (e.g., chickpeas, cowpeas, dry beans, dry peas, and lentils), are uniquely positioned to simultaneously benefit human and environmental well-being, all while being affordable and important to diverse cultural food traditions around the world. Despite the benefits they can provide, pulses are dramatically under-consumed. One key barrier preventing higher intake among consumers is a lack of familiarity with how to prepare and regularly incorporate pulses into meals. To address this barrier and actualize findings from our laboratory, we created the Bean Cuisine, a 2-week cuisine (i.e., meal plan) with 56 pulse-centric recipes corresponding to 14 unique breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner ideas. Each meal category was largely interchangeable, i.e., the order of the breakfast recipes is not important, and one could be swapped for another if a different order were preferrable to a consumer. Fifty-six citizen scientists were recruited to provide feedback on the Bean Cuisine. Free response feedback related to project participation was very positive, and common themes included changes in pulse consumption and cooking behaviors, increased awareness of pulse variety and versatility, and positive perceptions of citizen science. Overall, participation in the Bean Cuisine citizen science project helped create pulse advocates, empowering participants to advance the well-being of their communities through pulses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 12351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Quality Evaluation of Rigatoni Pasta Enriched with Hemp Seed Meal

by Marina Axentii, Silviu-Gabriel Stroe and Georgiana Gabriela Codină

Foods 2023, 12(9), 1774; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091774 - 25 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2328

Abstract

Existing food trends and modern consumers’ nutritional preferences have led to a rising demand for plant-based sources of protein such as hemp seed meal and the possibility of consumption hemp-rich products, most often in wheat-based staple foods, such as pasta. Pasta, as a conventional food product, is widely consumed worldwide due to its nutritional value, long shelf life, easy preparation, versatility of uses and also relatively low cost, which has made this product popular over time. Five formulations of rigatoni-shaped pasta obtained by partial replacement of wheat grain flour with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% hemp seed meal (HSM) were studied regarding the technological, physicochemical, textural, antioxidant and sensory properties of the pasta samples. The substitution of wheat flour with hemp seed meal (HSM) led to a slight increase in the cooking loss (CL) and optimal cooking time (OCT) compared to the control sample, while the water absorption (WA) and swelling index (SI) decreased during evaluation. The experimental results also showed a decrease in luminosity and fracturability, with an increased firmness of pasta dough. Moreover, the developed pasta showed a significant improvement in antioxidant capacity in terms of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH). The pasta samples with 15% and 20% HSM substitutes experienced a browning process due to the Maillard reactions during drying, as well as a color loss during cooking; however, the color changes did not affect the acceptability of the product. The partial replacement of wheat flour with hemp seed protein highlighted the possibility of developing a new innovative type of pasta that claims a functional benefit and presents an improved nutritional value, mainly due to the partial protein intake, as well as certain benefits for a human diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Saponins from Pea Ingredients to Innovative Sponge Cakes and Their Association with Perceived Bitterness

by Pedro Martínez Noguera, Jodie Lantoine, Even Le Roux, Suyin Yang, Ralf Jakobi, Svenja Krause, Anne Saint-Eve, Catherine Bonazzi and Barbara Rega

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2919; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182919 - 19 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2510

Abstract

Pea-based ingredients are increasingly being used in foods because of their nutritional, functional and environmental benefits. However, their bitter taste is not appreciated by consumers. Saponins have been reported to be bitter in whole pea flour (PF) but not in the purified ingredients obtained from it, such as pea protein isolate (PPI) and pea starch (PS). In addition, the evolution of saponins in cooked foods made from these ingredients and their relationship to bitter flavor has not been investigated. This study, therefore, explored the presence of two bitter saponins, βg and Bb, in whole pea flour (PF) and a composite flour reconstructed from the two main fractions (PS + PPI). In addition, it investigated the impact of baking on the chemical state of these compounds in a sponge cake. Finally, the sensory impact of the baking process on the perceived bitterness of cakes made with these two pea flours was also evaluated. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) was used to identify and quantify pea saponins in the flours and cakes, and a descriptive sensory analysis was obtained by a trained panel to assess sensory differences in bitterness. Our results showed marked differences in saponin concentration and composition among the pea ingredients studied. Concentrations were highest in PPI (1.497 mg·g⁻¹ dry matter), with 98% of saponin Bb. PS had the lowest saponin concentration (0.039 mg·g⁻¹ dry matter, with 83% Bb), while 0.988 mg·g⁻¹ dry matter was quantified in PF, with only 20% Bb and 80% βg. This research also highlighted the thermal degradation of saponin βg to Bb in sponge cakes during baking at 170 °C. However, at a sensory level, these chemical changes were insufficient for the impact on bitterness to be perceived in cakes made with pea flour. Moreover, baking time significantly reduced the bitter flavor in cakes made with the composite flour (PS + PPI). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extrusion Improves the Antihypertensive Potential of a Kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Protein Hydrolysate

by Jeanett Chávez-Ontiveros, Cuauhtémoc Reyes-Moreno, Giovanni Isaí Ramírez-Torres, Oscar Gerardo Figueroa-Salcido, Jesús Gilberto Arámburo-Gálvez, Alvaro Montoya-Rodríguez, Noé Ontiveros and Edith Oliva Cuevas-Rodríguez

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2562; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172562 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2458

Abstract

Chickpea hydrolysates could have antihypertensive potential, but there are no evaluations in vivo. Thus, the antihypertensive potential of a chickpea protein hydrolysate obtained before and after extrusion (a process that modifies protein digestibility) was evaluated. Protein precipitates were obtained from extruded and unextruded chickpea flours by isoelectric precipitation and hydrolyzed (α-amylase/pepsin/pancreatin). Chemical composition was determined (standard methods). ACE-I inhibition assays were carried out using a colorimetric test. For antihypertensive effect evaluations, spontaneously hypertensive rats (n = 8) received the treatments intragastrically (extruded or unextruded hydrolysate (1.2 g/kg), captopril (25 mg/kg), or water only). Fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents were lower in extruded chickpea flour (p < 0.05 versus unextruded). The protein content varied between protein precipitates (91.03%/78.66% unextruded/extruded (dry basis)) (p < 0.05). The hydrolysates’ IC50 values (mg/mL) were 0.2834 (unextruded)/0.3218 (extruded) (p > 0.05). All treatments lowered the blood pressure (p < 0.05 vs. water). The extruded hydrolysate showed a more potent antihypertensive effect than the unextruded one (p < 0.05), an effect similar to captopril (p > 0.05). The results suggest that protein extrusion can be used to generate protein hydrolysates with improved health benefits. The findings have implications for the design and production of functional foods that could help to prevent hypertension or serve as an adjunct in its treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave-Assisted Acid Hydrolysis vs. Conventional Hydrolysis to Produce Sapogenin-Rich Products from Fenugreek Extracts

by Joaquin Navarro del Hierro, Emma Cantero-Bahillo, M. Teresa Fernández-Felipe and Diana Martin

Foods 2022, 11(13), 1934; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11131934 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1671

Abstract

The acid hydrolysis of saponins is commonly performed by conventional heating to produce sapogenin-rich products of bioactive interest, but alternative hydrolysis methods and their impact on bioactivity have been unexplored. We compared the conventional method with microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis (MAAH) of a commercial saponin-rich extract from a typical saponin source, fenugreek, focusing on the study of temperature (100, 120, 130, 140, 150 °C) and time (10, 20, 30, 40 min) of hydrolysis. The impact of these factors was assayed on both the sapogenin yield and the bioactivity of the hydrolyzed products, specifically their antioxidant and lipase inhibitory activities. The highest sapogenin content (34 g/100 g extract) was achieved by MAAH at 140 °C and 30 min, which was higher than conventional hydrolysis at both reference conditions (100 °C, 60 min, 24.6 g/100 g extract) and comparative conditions (140 °C, 30 min, 17 g/100 g extract) (p < 0.001). Typical steroid artifacts from sapogenins were observed in very small amounts, regardless of the method of hydrolysis. Antioxidant activity of MAAH hydrolyzed extracts (around 80% DPPH inhibition) was barely affected by time and temperature, but pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity was higher (>65%) at lower MAAH temperature (<130 °C) and time (<30 min) of hydrolysis. MAAH is shown as a valid alternative to produce selective sapogenin-rich extracts from fenugreek with minor impact on their bioactivities, and whose magnitude can be modulated by the hydrolysis conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 322 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quality and Pro-Healthy Properties of Belgian Witbier-Style Beers Relative to the Cultivar of Winter Wheat and Raw Materials Used

by Justyna Belcar, Jan Buczek, Ireneusz Kapusta and Józef Gorzelany

Foods 2022, 11(8), 1150; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11081150 - 15 Apr 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2038

Abstract

Unmalted wheat grain and barley malt are the basic materials used in the production of Belgian wheat beers known as Witbier. A change in the ingredients defined in the recipe, by which part of the unmalted wheat is replaced with wheat malt, can positively affect the quality of the beverage produced. The purpose of the study was to brew Witbier-style beers made from four cultivars of winter wheat, with a 50% share of unmalted wheat and barley malt as well as Witbier-style beers made from four wheat cultivars, where 25% of unmalted wheat was replaced with wheat malt. Physicochemical and sensory analyzes showed mild differences in the quality of the beer products, more specifically higher alcohol content (by 11.33%) were found in beers made without the addition of wheat malt, while higher sensory attractiveness and 17.13% higher total polyphenol content were identified in beers enhanced with wheat malt. Phenolic compounds were identified using UPLC-PDA-MS/MS. The highest flavanol content, including kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-pentoside, was found in beers produced using wheat grains of the ‘Elixer’ cultivar, whether or not wheat malt was added; the values were 1.31 mg/L in E50 beer, and 1.39 mg/L in E25 beer. The same beer samples with the highest antioxidant and antiradical activity were found (in E25 beer, 2.35 mmol TE/L, and in E50 beer, 2.12 mmol Fe^2+/L). The present findings show that the investigated wheat cultivars may be used in beer production, whereas replacing part of unmalted wheat with wheat malt can improve the sensory profile of the beer produced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II)

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Innovative Processing Technologies for Developing Functional Ingredients and Food Products with Health Benefits from Grains II

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (7 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI