Component Change and Regulation of Cereal and Oil-Based Foods During Processing and Storage

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 2853

Special Issue Editors


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Engineering Research Center of Grain Storage and Security of Ministry of Education, Henan Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Grain Post Harvest, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Lianhua Road 100, Zhengzhou High-Tech Development Zone, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: design and preparation of antibacterial nanomaterials; safe storage of grains; preservation of grain quality and freshness
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School of Life Science, Xinghuacun College (Shanxi Institute of Brewing Technology and Industry), Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Interests: intelligent visualization photoelectric chemical sensing; rapid detection; target recognition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Grain Storage and Security Engineering Research Center of Education Ministry, School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: postharvest storage of agricultural products; safe storage of grains

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Guest Editor
School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Interests: food safety; rapid analysis; fluorescence sensing; visual detection; samartphone; advanced nanomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cereal and oil-based foods are rich sources of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and other essential nutrients, serving as a primary source of nourishment for humans. However, during storage and processing, nutritional components can undergo denaturation and decomposition. These processes may lead to the inevitable loss of nutrients and the formation of harmful substances, which not only diminish the nutritional value of these foods but also pose a potential risk to human health.

This Special Issue focuses on the preservation of nutrients, reductions in the deterioration of quality in food, and the prevention of harmful substances during the storage and processing of cereal and oil-based foods. It also examines the impact of external factors, such as microorganisms, pests, temperature, humidity, and gas composition, on the quality of food throughout these processes. This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the methods employed to detect quality attributes and harmful substances, while exploring optimal storage and processing technologies for the production of foods that are both safe and nutritionally suitable for consumption.

The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  • Theories and technologies for cereal and oil storage;
  • Effects of storage processes and technologies on food quality;
  • Influence of environmental factors on the quality of stored and processed cereals and oils (e.g., molds, pests, temperature, humidity, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.);
  • Development of (rapid) detection methods for harmful substances or components;
  • Identification and control of harmful substances or components.

Dr. Dongdong Zhang
Dr. Yukun Yang
Dr. Qiong Wu
Dr. Ying Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • cereal and oil-based foods
  • quality preservation
  • harmful components
  • environmental factors
  • detection and control

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5069 KiB  
Article
Effect of Glow Discharge Cold Plasma Treatment on the Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of Maize
by Miao Li, Chengcheng Ren, Caihong Li, Zengxuan Fan, Jiayin Zhu and Chenling Qu
Foods 2025, 14(8), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081312 - 10 Apr 2025
Viewed by 261
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of cold plasma (CP) on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of maize. CP treatments were performed using a glow discharge, applying argon and/or nitrogen at 50 W, with different working pressures (75, 100, and 125 Pa) and [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the effect of cold plasma (CP) on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of maize. CP treatments were performed using a glow discharge, applying argon and/or nitrogen at 50 W, with different working pressures (75, 100, and 125 Pa) and exposure times (1, 5, and 10 min). The maize samples were analyzed before and after treatments for color, fatty acid value (FAV), malondialdehyde content, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, total phenol content (TPC), ascorbic acid content, reduced glutathione content, and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity was further evaluated during storage (25 °C for 180 days). After treatments, color parameters (brightness, yellowness, and saturation) showed measurable enhancement, while FAV and malondialdehyde content were significantly reduced by 14.95–56.37% and 11.38–43.71%, respectively. The optimal treatment conditions (100 Pa working pressure and 5 min exposure) maximized antioxidant enzyme activities and bioactive compound levels, accompanied by substantial increases in TPC. Under these conditions, maize samples had the highest organic radical scavenging capacities (DPPH), reaching 1.31-fold (argon plasma) and 1.25-fold (nitrogen plasma) that of untreated sample. During storage, all samples subjected to the optimal combined treatment exhibited higher DPPH radical scavenging capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant potential, along with lower FAVs and malondialdehyde contents compared to the untreated sample. Additionally, the DPPH radical scavenging capacity exhibited statistically inverse correlations with both FAV (r2 = −0.49) and malondialdehyde content (r2 = −0.15), as quantified through Pearson correlation analysis. These findings indicated that glow discharge cold plasma is a potentially effective non-thermal processing technique to enhance bioactive compound accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity for preserving maize’s physicochemical properties, with possible use in the food industry for sustainable grain preservation strategies, particularly in delaying oxidative deterioration. Full article
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17 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
The Optimization of Demulsification Using Composite Fatty Acids in Aqueous Enzymatic Extraction and the Changes of the Emulsion Stability During Demulsification
by Zhihua Shao, Xiangrui Kong, Hanxiang Yang, Yiyang Zhang, Chenxian Yang, Fusheng Chen, Zikun Wang, Jiaxun Chen, Tingwei Zhu, Ying Xin and Yu Chen
Foods 2025, 14(5), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14050749 - 22 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) can simultaneously separate oil and protein. However, a stable O/W emulsion is present in the AEE process, which is not favorable for extracting oils. This study optimized the use of heptanoic and octanoic acids for demulsification in aqueous enzymatic [...] Read more.
Aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) can simultaneously separate oil and protein. However, a stable O/W emulsion is present in the AEE process, which is not favorable for extracting oils. This study optimized the use of heptanoic and octanoic acids for demulsification in aqueous enzymatic extraction. The optimal condition for demulsification, including a fatty acid ratio of 1:3 (heptanoic acid to octanoic acid) with 1.00% addition, a reaction time of 40 min, a temperature of 70 °C, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:5, resulted in a demulsification rate of 97.95% ± 0.03%. After demulsification, the particle size of the peanut emulsion increased, while the absolute potential value and conductivity decreased. The type and content of proteins decreased, and the tertiary structure also changed, with tryptophan residues buried within the proteins, shifting the system from a polar to nonpolar environment. The microstructure of the emulsion changed and the emulsion transformed into W/O. To summarize, composite fatty acid had a significant effect on the demulsification of emulsion. Full article
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11 pages, 3013 KiB  
Article
Effect of Dietary Oils with Different Fatty Acid Compositions on Serum Lipid and Gut Microbiota of Rats
by Tingwei Zhu, Yiming Kuai, Xingfeng Guo, Guanhao Bu, Chenxian Yang and Fusheng Chen
Foods 2025, 14(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14010061 - 29 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1066
Abstract
The effects of three dietary oils (rapeseed oil, camellia oil, linseed oil) with different fatty acid compositions on the growth performance, digestion and gut microbiota of SD rats after 8 weeks of feeding were studied. The serum metabolic index and liver histomorphology of [...] Read more.
The effects of three dietary oils (rapeseed oil, camellia oil, linseed oil) with different fatty acid compositions on the growth performance, digestion and gut microbiota of SD rats after 8 weeks of feeding were studied. The serum metabolic index and liver histomorphology of rats were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer and light microscope. Furthermore, 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing technology was used to analyze the gut microbiota. It was found that these differences in fatty acid composition had no significant effect on body fat and liver tissue. However, after digestion, the rapeseed oil group showed lowest triglyceride content (1.22 ± 0.15) and a lower LDL/HDL ratio (0.41 ± 0.02). For gut microbiota distribution, the linseed oil group showed a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio (6.11 ± 0.54) and a high proportion of Lactobacillus. These data indicate that both the unsaturated fatty acid content and n-3 unsaturated fatty acids collectively had an effect on digestion metabolism, and the influence order may be n-3 unsaturated fatty acids > unsaturated fatty acid content. Full article
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Review

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18 pages, 1515 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Physicochemical Control and Potential Green Ecologic Strategies Related to the Management of Mold in Stored Grains
by Tianyu Sha, Yujie Lu, Peihuan He, Md Mehedi Hassan and Yehan Tong
Foods 2025, 14(6), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060961 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 620
Abstract
Grain serves as an essential cornerstone for sustaining life and social stability. However, during storage grain is often invaded by mold, which leads to mildew issues. This problem diminishes nutrient content and food quality and raises safety concerns, including toxin production, which can [...] Read more.
Grain serves as an essential cornerstone for sustaining life and social stability. However, during storage grain is often invaded by mold, which leads to mildew issues. This problem diminishes nutrient content and food quality and raises safety concerns, including toxin production, which can cause serious economic losses and catastrophic market stability and national food security conditions. Accordingly, implementing effective measures to prevent and control mold is crucial for ensuring grain storage safety. This paper analyzes the molds that affect grain during storage, discussing their varieties, environmental needs, and potential hazards. It also expounds on corresponding prevention and control measures, including physical methods, chemical approaches, innovative mold inhibitors derived from microbes and plants, and micro–nano prevention and control technology. These measures demonstrate significant mold suppression by destroying the cell structure of mold or inhibiting its physiological processes. In particular, micro–nano technology enables the effective embedding and controlled release of active ingredients. It can prolong the release duration and enhance antibacterial stability, thus achieving more effective control effects. Furthermore, it can be concluded that these strategies provide a theoretical foundation to enhance the safety and efficiency of grain storage. Additionally, they assist in more effectively addressing mold-related challenges while ensuring food security. Full article
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