The plant resistance elicitor Benzo (1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH) can enhance disease resistance of harvested fruit. Nonetheless, it is still unknown whether BTH plays a role in regulating fruit senescence. In this study, exogenous BTH treatment efficiently delayed the senescence of postharvest pitaya fruit with lower lipid peroxidation level. Furthermore, BTH-treated fruit exhibited lower hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content, higher contents of reduced ascorbic acid (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and higher ratios of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and ascorbic acid (AsA/DHA), as well as higher activities of ROS scavenging enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR) in comparison with control fruit. Moreover, BTH treatment enhanced the activities of phenylpropanoid pathway-related enzymes, including cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and 4-coumarate/coenzyme A ligase (4CL) and the levels of phenolics, flavonoids and lignin. In addition, BTH treatment upregulated the expression of HuSOD1/3/4, HuCAT2, HuAPX1/2 and HuPOD1/2/4 genes. These results suggested that application of BTH delayed the senescence of harvested pitaya fruit in relation to enhanced antioxidant system and phenylpropanoid pathway. Full article

A predisposition for the efficiency of nutraceuticals is that the product contains a sufficient quantity of a vitamin. Several studies have highlighted different quality issues. Our objective was to investigate whether the contents of the vitamins in selected types of food supplements were in accordance with labeling. We focused on two types of food supplements where content-related quality issues could result in public health risks: food supplements for supplementation with (a) folic acid (as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF)) in pregnancy and (b) with vitamin D in the general population. The study was done on supplements from the global supply that are typically used by Slovenian consumers. We sampled one production batch of 30 different food supplements—six and 24 samples with 5-MTHF and cholecalciferol, respectively. We found samples with vitamin contents outside the 80–150% tolerance interval in both sets. Particularly, 5-MTHF was found to be more problematic, probably due to its lower stability. This study shows the need for better quality control. Quality control is needed during both the manufacturing process and product shelf lifetimes. Content quality should be also subject to external controls by authorities. Voluntarily quality control schemes would also enable consumers to identify products of sufficient quality. Full article

Humidity-controlled dehydration (HCD) was innovatively applied in this paper to control the growth of microorganisms in fresh wet noodles (FWN). Effects of HCD treatment with different temperatures (40, 60 or 80 °C), relative humidity (RH, 50%, 70% or 90%) and treatment time (5–32 min) on the total plate count (TPC), the shelf-life, and qualities of FWN were investigated. The results showed that HCD reduced the initial microbial load on the fresh noodles and extended the shelf-life up to 14–15 days under refrigeration temperature (10 °C). A 1.39 log₁₀ CFU/g reduction for the initial TPC was achieved after HCD treatment at the temperature of 60 °C and RH of 90%. HCD with higher RH had a more positive influence on quality improvement. The L* values, the apparent stickiness, and the cooking properties of the noodle body were improved by HCD while good sensory and texture quality of noodles were still maintained after the dehydration process. Full article

Yellow pea and faba bean are potential candidates to replace soybean-based ingredients due to their suitability for cultivation in the northern hemisphere, non-genetically modified organisms cultivation practice and low risk of allergenicity. This study examined the functionality of local yellow pea and faba bean protein isolates/concentrate as meat analogue products. The most critical factors affecting the texture properties of meat analogue were also determined. Extrusion was used to produce high-moisture meat analogues (HMMAs) from yellow pea and faba bean protein isolates/concentrates and HMMAs with fibrous layered structures was successfully produced from both imported commercial and local sources. The texture properties of the HMMA produced were mainly affected by the ash, fiber and protein content and water-holding capacity of the source protein. Three extrusion process parameters (target moisture content, extrusion temperature, screw speed), also significantly affected HMMA texture. In conclusion, functional HMMA can be produced using protein isolates derived from locally grown pulses. Full article

Fraud can happen to any food business, but some sectors show more historical evidence of food fraud than others. This may be due to particular company characteristics that affect a company’s level of vulnerability. In the current study, we examined the relevance of the industry segment, business size, and location of food businesses on their food fraud vulnerabilities. Over 8000 food fraud vulnerability self-assessments conducted by food businesses active in 20 industry segments located in five continents were collected and the data analyzed. Results revealed that a company’s industry segment (chain and tier) affects its fraud vulnerability greatly and to a larger extent than the size of the business. The effect of industry segment on fraud vulnerability appears fairly similar across continents, whereas the effect of business size exhibits large geographical variation. The results demonstrate that those involved in animal product supply chains and end of chain nodes (catering, retail) are most vulnerable, and so are larger businesses, and businesses located in Africa and Asia. Current results imply that company characteristics are important determinants of the level of fraud vulnerability, and they may be used reversely in the future, i.e., as predictors of vulnerability. Full article

In this study, we fed obese model mice black soybean seed coat powder (BSCP) and evaluated the antiobesity effects. As a control, normal yellow soybean seed coat powder (YSCP) was used. C57BL/6J, a high-fat diet-induced obesity model mouse, was fed a high-fat diet containing BSCP or YSCP (20% fat) to induce obesity. The results showed that in the BSCP group, it caused significant suppression of body weight gain and suppression of white adipose tissue weight compared with the YSCP group. Moreover, it significantly decreased serum leptin levels, which correlated with visceral fat mass, and increased antidiabetic adipocytokine and adiponectin levels. Therefore, this suggests the pigmented components contained in BSCP have an antiobesity effect in obese model mice. It is suggested that this material, which can be prepared without extraction with an organic solvent and is suitable for use as a food material, could be a functional food material with a practicable antiobesity effect. Full article

Coffee, one of the most popular drinks around the world, is also one of the beverages most susceptible of being adulterated. Untargeted high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorescence detection (HPLC-UV-FLD) fingerprinting strategies in combination with chemometrics were employed for the authenticity assessment and fraud quantitation of adulterated coffees involving three different and common adulterants: chicory, barley, and flours. The methodologies were applied after a solid–liquid extraction procedure with a methanol:water 50:50 (v/v) solution as extracting solvent. Chromatographic fingerprints were obtained using a Kinetex^® C18 reversed-phase column under gradient elution conditions using 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and methanol as mobile phase components. The obtained coffee and adulterants extract HPLC-UV-FLD fingerprints were evaluated by partial least squares regression-discriminants analysis (PLS-DA) resulting to be excellent chemical descriptors for sample discrimination. One hundred percent classification rates for both PLS-DA calibration and prediction models were obtained. In addition, Arabica and Robusta coffee samples were adulterated with chicory, barley, and flours, and the obtained HPLC-UV-FLD fingerprints subjected to partial least squares (PLS) regression, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed methodologies to assess coffee authenticity and to quantify adulteration levels (down to 15%), showing both calibration and prediction errors below 1.3% and 2.4%, respectively. Full article

Plant foods are consumed worldwide due to their immense energy density and nutritive value. Their consumption has been following an increasing trend due to several metabolic disorders linked to non-vegetarian diets. In addition to their nutritive value, plant foods contain several bioactive constituents that have been shown to possess health-promoting properties. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as biologically active proteins, polyphenols, phytosterols, biogenic amines, carotenoids, etc., have been reported to be beneficial for human health, for instance in cases of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, as well as for people with gut, immune function, and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies have reported that bioactive components possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, in addition to improving intestinal barrier functioning etc., which contribute to their ability to mitigate the pathological impact of various human diseases. This review describes the bioactive components derived from fruit, vegetables, cereals, and other plant sources with health promoting attributes, and the mechanisms responsible for the bioactive properties of some of these plant components. This review mainly compiles the potential of food derived bioactive compounds, providing information for researchers that may be valuable for devising future strategies such as choosing promising bioactive ingredients to make functional foods for various non-communicable disorders. Full article

There are currently worldwide efforts to reduce sugar intake due to the various adverse health effects linked with the overconsumption of sugars. Artificial sweeteners have been used as an alternative to nutritive sugars in numerous applications; however, their long-term effects on human health remain controversial. This led to a shift in consumer preference towards non-caloric sweeteners from natural sources. Thaumatins are a class of intensely sweet proteins found in arils of the fruits of the West-African plant Thaumatococcus daniellii. Thaumatins’ current production method through aqueous extraction from this plant and uncertainty of the harvest from tropical rainforests limits its supply while the demand is increasing. Despite successful recombinant expression of the protein in several organisms, no large-scale bioproduction facilities exist. We present preliminary process design, process simulation, and economic analysis for a large-scale (50 metric tons/year) production of a thaumatin II variant using several different molecular farming platforms. Full article

We prepared emulsion-filled gels stabilized using octenyl succinic anhydride-modified and pregelatinized maize starch (OSA-PGS). The effect of the oil volume fraction (Φ, 0.05–0.20) and OSA-PGS concentration (3–10% w/v) on the rheological and microstructural properties of the emulsion-filled gels was evaluated. Confocal fluorescence images showed that OSA-PGS stabilized the emulsion, indicated by the formation of a thick layer surrounding the oil droplets, and simultaneously gelled the aqueous phase. All of the emulsions exhibited shear-thinning flow behavior, but only those with 10% w/v OSA-PGS were categorized as Herschel–Bulkley fluids. The rheological behavior of the emulsion-filled gels was significantly affected by both the OSA-PGS concentration and Φ. The mean diameters ($D_{1,0}$, $D_{3,2}$, and $D_{4,3}$) of oil droplets with 10% w/v OSA-PGS were stable during 30 days of storage under ambient conditions, indicating good stability. These results provide a basis for the design of systems with potential applications within the food industry. Full article

In the context of fair trade and protection of consumer rights, the aim of this study was to combat adulteration, counterfeiting, and fraud in the tea market, and rebuild the image of high-quality Taiwan teas. Experts at the Tea Research and Extension Station, Taiwan (TRES), are engaged in promotion of the systems of origin identification (AOC) and grading for authentication of Taiwan’s premium teas. From tea evaluation competitions (bottom-up quality campaign), the flavor descriptions and consumers’ perceptions were deconvoluted and characterized for the eight Taiwan specialty teas, namely, Bi-Luo-Chun, Wenshan Paochong, High-Mountain Oolong, Dongding Oolong, Tieh-Kuan-Yin, Red Oolong, Oriental Beauty, and Taiwan black tea. Then, according to the manufacturing processes, producing estates and flavor characters, the specialty teas were categorized into six sensory wheels. The flavor descriptors of the sensory wheels were also recognized in consumers’ feedback. In recent years, the performance of international trade in tea also demonstrates that the policy guidelines for authentication of specialty teas are helpful to the production and marketing. Furthermore, the development of sensory wheels of Taiwan’s specialty teas is the cornerstone to the establishment of the Taiwan-tea assortment and grading system (TAGs) for communication with the new generation consumers, enthusiasts, sellers, and producers. Full article

The low-level and long-term exposure of pesticides was found to induce metabolic syndrome to mice. Metabolic pathways and mechanisms were investigated by detecting gut flora with metabolites, host circulation, and their interrelations. Results showed that the abundances of flora species and their metabolism were altered, consequently leading to metabolic disorders. A correlation analysis between gut flora and their metabolic profiling further explained these changes and associations. The metabolic profiling of host circulation was also performed to characterize metabolic disorders. The associations of host circulation with gut flora were established via their significantly different metabolites. Alterations to the liver metabolism clarified potential pathways and mechanisms for the disorders. Metabolic disorders were evidently released by dietary and micro-ecological intervention, directly proving that gut flora comprise a vital medium in metabolic health risk caused by pesticide exposure. This work supplied theoretical bases and intervention approaches to body metabolic problems caused by pesticide exposure mediated by gut flora. Full article

High-moisture mozzarella is a pasta filata cheese manufactured from cow or buffalo milk that has spread all over the world. Its manufacturing from the milk of small ruminants (goat and sheep) has been recently proposed to innovate this ailing sector. Previously, a protocol was reported for making goat mozzarella from unpasteurized milk but, according to legislation, the microbiological safety of raw milk fresh cheeses is not guaranteed. In the present research, two new protocols were tested for producing mozzarella from pasteurized milk prepared by two different low-temperature long-time treatments (67 °C or 63 °C × 30 min). The obtained cheeses were subjected to physical–chemical and microbiological analyses and to consumer testing. The results showed that the heat treatments caused longer coagulation times than those reported in the literature, despite pre-acidification (at pH 5.93 or 6.35) having been performed to counterbalance the expected worsening of the coagulation aptitude. The obtained products showed differences in the chemical composition, texture, proteolysis, and lipolysis. Both pasteurization and pre-acidification played a role in determining these variations. Consumer testing indicated that mozzarella obtained from milk heated at the lower temperature and coagulated at a higher pH reached a good level of appreciation (62%). Full article

Food microbiology is deluged by a vastly growing plethora of analytical methods. This review endeavors to color the context into which methodology has to fit and underlines the importance of sampling and sample treatment. The context is that the highest risk of food contamination is through the animal and human fecal route with a majority of foodborne infections originating from sources in mass and domestic kitchens at the end of the food-chain. Containment requires easy-to-use, failsafe, single-use tests giving an overall risk score in situ. Conversely, progressive food-safety systems are relying increasingly on early assessment of batches and groups involving risk-based sampling, monitoring environment and herd/flock health status, and (historic) food-chain information. Accordingly, responsible field laboratories prefer specificity, multi-analyte, and high-throughput procedures. Under certain etiological and epidemiological circumstances, indirect antigen immunoaffinity assays outperform the diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of e.g., nucleic acid sequence-based assays. The current bulk of testing involves therefore ante- and post-mortem probing of humoral response to several pathogens. In this review, the inclusion of immunoglobulins against additional invasive micro-organisms indicating the level of hygiene and ergo public health risks in tests is advocated. Immunomagnetic separation, immunochromatography, immunosensor, microsphere array, lab-on-a-chip/disc platforms increasingly in combination with nanotechnologies, are discussed. The heuristic development of portable and ambulant microfluidic devices is intriguing and promising. Tant pis, many new platforms seem unattainable as the industry standard. Comparability of results with those of reference methods hinders the implementation of new technologies. Whatever the scientific and technological excellence and incentives, the decision-maker determines this implementation after weighing mainly costs and business risks. Full article