Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183328

Authors: Guizhou Hu Xinqi Li Geng Qin Ailing Ben Jin Qi

A practical strategy was established for distinguishing five varieties of Chrysanthemums by combining E-tongue, E-nose, GC-MS, and LC-Q-TOF-MS. A total of 19 low molecule fraction compounds and 26 volatile fraction compounds were identified as the common peaks. Chemometrics were used to screen the characteristic compounds of the five varieties of Chrysanthemums. E-tongue and E-nose were used to distinguish the taste and odor of the five varieties of Chrysanthemum, respectively. The Hangju variety had the richest taste flavor and the weakest aroma, while the Huaiju variety had the strongest odor of pine, woody, floral, and fruity aroma. The study found that 3, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 1, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, luteolin-7-β-D-glucoside, and 4, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were the principal taste flavor components based on Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR). α-pinene, camphene, γ-terpinene, camphor, etc. were identified as the principal volatile flavor components based on Spearman’s rank correlation. The combination of chemometrics and intelligent sensory technology presents a potential technique for analyzing the flavor of chrysanthemums and other food products.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183327

Authors: Keying Hou Shengsi Hu Chenfeng Yu Kang Tu Xiaodong Zheng Ye Song Leiqing Pan

Essential oils are difficult to disperse in hydrophilic films and may separate or volatilize during processing. We prepared chitosan quaternary ammonium salt/propolis films containing a TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (TOCNF)/nisin-stabilized Pickering emulsion loaded with oregano essential oil. Two independent formulation variables were examined: the nisin fraction in the TOCNF/nisin particles (0–35% of particle mass) was first screened to select the emulsion stabilizer composition, whereas the selected TNO emulsion was subsequently added at 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% (v/v) of the initial film-forming solution. At 25% nisin, encapsulation efficiency reached 88.0%, and the polydispersity index was 0.15, so this formulation was used in the films. As emulsion loading increased, the films became lighter and opacity fell from 19.75 to 4.81 A mm−1. HCP/TNO30 reached a tensile strength of 45.18 MPa, but elongation at break decreased from 65.35% to 28.11% across the series. Water vapor and oxygen permeability were lowest at 40% loading. HCP/TNO50 had the highest radical-scavenging and antibacterial activities. It also reduced weight loss and quality deterioration during 12 days of green cherry tomato storage. No loading optimized every property. Mechanical strength and barrier performance peaked at 30% and 40%, respectively, while active preservation continued to improve up to 50%.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183325

Authors: Berrin Gürler Akyüz İzzet Koçak

Rapid and reliable quality control of honey is crucial for ensuring food safety and preventing food fraud. In this study, novel sensitive and selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensors were developed for the direct and sequential determination of L-proline (L-Pro) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF). The sensors were fabricated via the electropolymerization of pyrrole (Py) on a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) surface, using L-Pro and HMF as template molecules. The linear working range for L-Pro and HMF using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) is 10–1600 µM, with limits of detection determined as 5.39 µM and 4.81 µM, respectively. The MIP-PPy/PGEs demonstrated high selectivity against a 25-fold excess of structural analogues (response <25%). The sensors were highly reproducible (RSD 3.20–3.22%, n = 5) and repeatable (RSD 1.97–2.27%, n = 5), maintaining 81.5% stability over 15 days. The developed sensors successfully quantified native L-Pro and HMF levels in six real honey samples, monitoring thermal-stress-induced changes at 70 and 90 °C. Under increasing thermal stress, a consistent inverse relationship was observed, with L-Pro decreasing as HMF increased. The electrochemical results correlated strongly with standard UV and HPLC methods (RSD < 3%), offering a rapid, cost-effective, practical alternative for routine honey quality and authenticity control.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183326

Authors: Yunpeng Huang Meiling Chen Qicheng Jiang Xinli Zheng Tieshan Xu Lihong Gu

Wenchang chicken is a premium indigenous breed in China, yet the combined effects of laying stage and feed restriction on its volatile meat flavor remain poorly understood. Breast and thigh muscles from Wenchang hens at 160, 180, 210, and 360 days (n = 3/treatment) under feed restriction (FR) or ad libitum (AL) feeding were prepared using the traditional coconut chicken cooking protocol and analyzed by electronic nose, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and HS-GC-IMS, using three-way ANOVA and CLR-transformed PLS-DA. Muscle type was the dominant main effect for meat color (L*: p = 0.004; a*: p < 0.001; b*: p < 0.001), while laying stage dominated key lipid-oxidation volatiles (octanal, dodecane, tetradecane; all p < 0.001). The age × feeding interaction was significant for seven key compounds (all p < 0.05), confirming stage-dependent reversal: AL increased aldehydes and alkanes at 160–180 days but reversed at 360 days. Physical traits were nonsignificant. GC-MS identified 79 reproducible compounds; PLS-DA confirmed significant discrimination by feeding (Q2Y = 0.830), age (Q2Y = 0.089), and muscle (Q2Y = 0.148). These findings demonstrate combined regulation of age, feeding, and muscle cut on flavor, supporting optimal quality windows for Wenchang chicken products.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183324

Authors: Mustafa Sadek Noura F. Mostafa Eman Ezzat Aya Seleem Hani Saber Waleed Younis Sally S. Sakr Asmahan A. Ali Basma Gamal

Objectives: This study investigates the occurrence and characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing and polymyxin-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from raw milk cheese and chicken carcasses in Egypt. In addition, the study evaluates the antibacterial activity of various algal extracts from Padina pavonica and Polycladia myrica, collected from the Red Sea, Egypt, against selected virulent and multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates. Methods: A total of 200 samples, comprising raw milk cheese samples (n = 100) and chicken carcass samples (n = 100), were examined for the presence of E. coli. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for all isolates using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution techniques. Phenotypic confirmation of various resistance traits was conducted to confirm resistance patterns. PCR screening was performed for various resistance genes and virulence-associated genes. Phylogenetic grouping analysis of the E. coli isolates examined was also performed. Two algal extracts of P. pavonica and P. myrica were screened using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and evaluated against our panel of virulent MDR foodborne E. coli isolates using the resazurin-based microtiter dilution method. Results: Among the 200 food samples, E. coli was recovered from 14% of samples and confirmed by using phoA gene detection. Of the recovered isolates, 64.3% were multidrug-resistant (MDR), with the majority originating from chicken carcasses (88.9%). Most isolates (92.9%) carried ≥3 virulence genes, with iss (100%), iutA (92.9%), and eaeA (89.3%) being the predominant determinants. Potential EPEC profiles were the most frequently detected (60.7%), followed by EHEC profiles (28.6%), whereas potential STEC/non-EHEC hybrid and ExPEC profiles were detected in 7.1% and 3.6% of isolates, respectively. The blaCTX-M gene predominated among ESBL determinants (96.4%), while blaSHV, blaCMY-2, and mcr-1 were also detected. Notably, mcr-1 was identified in 82.1% of isolates, with frequent co-occurrence of mcr-1 and ESBL genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most isolates belonged to group B1 (85.7%), whereas groups D and B2 accounted for 10.7% and 3.5%, respectively. In vitro antibacterial assays demonstrated that the P. pavonica methanol and ethyl acetate extracts and the P. myrica ethyl acetate extract exhibited inhibitory activity against MDR E. coli, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 2.5 to 10 mg/mL. Overall, the P. myrica extract showed stronger antibacterial activity (MICs, 2.5–5 mg/mL) than the P. pavonica extracts (MICs, 5–10 mg/mL), highlighting their potential as natural antibacterial agents against MDR E. coli. Conclusions: These findings raise important public health concerns, as contaminated food products can act as reservoirs for the dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) E coli, thereby increasing the risk of human infections ranging from mild gastrointestinal illnesses to severe, potentially life-threatening diseases. In addition, the present findings demonstrate the promising antibacterial activity of methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of P. myrica and P. pavonica against MDR E. coli isolates, supporting their potential as sources of natural antibacterial compounds and warranting further investigation of their efficacy, mechanisms of action, and active constituents.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183313

Authors: Didem Gün Dilek Doğan İlknur Polat İsmail Hakkı Akbudak Mehmet Lütfi Yola

Carbofuran (CAR) is an extremely toxic carbamate insecticide that poses serious threats to both environmental and human health, which necessitates highly sensitive analytical methods for its detection in food matrices. This research introduced a novel strategy for CAR detection, presenting the synergistic interaction between molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and a carbon black–graphitic carbon nitride (CB-g-C3N4) nanocomposite. By integrating the high-affinity, specific recognition capabilities of MIPs with the superior electrochemical sensing performance of the CB-g-C3N4 platform, the developed methodology significantly improved the sensitivity and selectivity in pesticide analysis. Following the modification of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with the CB-g-C3N4 nanocomposite, the CAR-imprinted sensing interface was fabricated via cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electropolymerization process was conducted in a solution containing 100.0 mM pyrrole (Py) as the functional monomer and 25.0 mM CAR as the template molecule. This controlled electrochemical deposition facilitated the formation of a selective MIP layer, which effectively provided specific recognition sites on the nanocomposite-modified surface. Under optimized conditions, the sensor exhibited a linear dynamic range ranging from 1.0 × 10−9 M to 5.0 × 10−8 M. Furthermore, the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 3.0 × 10−10 M, which highlights the sensor’s high sensitivity and its suitability for monitoring pesticide traces. To evaluate the practical utility of the proposed electrochemical sensor, its performance was investigated using orange juice samples. The analytical results demonstrated excellent recovery rates close to 100%, confirming the sensor’s ability to operate effectively within complex food matrices.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183320

Authors: Xueying Dong Jiachen Wu Tianle Yao Pingze Xu Sijia Zeng Yiyuan Chang Jiajun Liu Hongqiang Wang Xiaoke Zhang Li Li Mengtian Huang Yu Han

The increasing demand for sustainable food packaging has generated interest in biodegradable carriers for bioactive chemicals. This study created porous aerogels from water caltrop starch (WCS) to encapsulate and regulate the release of epigallocatechin (EGC), a sensitive natural polyphenol. WCS aerogels with different EGC concentrations (0.6–2.5 g per 2.5 g starch) were produced using sol–gel processing and freeze-drying. Structural investigations (FTIR, XRD) suggested bonding interactions between WCS and EGC, which stabilized the polyphenol and affected crystallinity. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that an appropriate EGC loading (1.8 g) facilitated a well-connected porous network, improving water and oil retention. Rheological and textural investigations demonstrated that the addition of EGC enhanced the gel network, leading to increased mechanical properties. In vitro release tests revealed a sustained, diffusion-controlled release profile over 10 days, with higher EGC loading resulting in enhanced retention. The aerogels demonstrated concentration-dependent antibacterial efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus, and exhibited preliminary degradability in soil and water. These findings suggest that WCS-based aerogels represent a potential biodegradable delivery system for polyphenols, demanding additional research for functional food packaging.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183323

Authors: Mingcan Liu Shuyun Zhu Tabussam Tufail Bin Xu

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino acid widely present in plant-based foods, has gained considerable attention for its diverse physiological effects and underlying mechanisms. As a functional dietary component, GABA has been reported to exhibit antihypertensive activity in preclinical and preliminary human studies, with proposed mechanisms including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and modulation of sympathetic outflow. In nematode models, GABA has been observed to alleviate aging-related oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant enzymes (e.g., SOD, CAT) and reducing lipofuscin accumulation. It may also alleviate certain menopausal symptoms based on limited human trial data, potentially through regulation of autonomic nervous system balance and reduction in vasomotor disturbances. Its anxiolytic and sleep-promoting effects are linked to GABAergic neurotransmission via GABAA/B receptors, which suppresses hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity. GABA also shows anticancer potential in cell-based assays by disrupting tumor cell cycles and metastasis pathways, while its antidiabetic role in preclinical models involves pancreatic β-cell protection and glucose homeostasis regulation. Despite the wide range of proposed physiological benefits, safety assessments indicate that GABA is generally well-tolerated at typical dietary supplement doses (≤300 mg/day), with higher intakes (up to 3000 mg/day) permitted in some regulatory frameworks, supporting its use in functional foods. Future research should focus on optimizing GABA-enriched food production and elucidating dose-related mechanisms for personalized nutrition.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183322

Authors: Susana Serrano Joana Monteiro Marques Cinthia Alves-Barroco Susana Morais Catarina Araújo Jéssica Elias Maria Teresa Barreto-Crespo Teresa Semedo-Lemsaddek

Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheeses from Azeitão and Nisa harbor unique autochthonous microbial communities integral to their terroir, sensory identity, and authenticity. Rediscovering and preserving this microbial heritage is essential for safeguarding traditional cheesemaking practices and unlocking the biotechnological potential of indigenous microorganisms. This study used a polyphasic approach to isolate, preserve, and functionally characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from these cheeses, aiming both to conserve autochthonous microbial resources and evaluate their suitability for food applications and preliminary probiotic-related traits. From 2304 bacterial isolates, 119 representative LAB were selected and screened for safety based on hemolytic and gelatinolytic activities and antimicrobial susceptibility. Technological potential was assessed through acidification, proteolytic and lipolytic activities, and antagonism against foodborne pathogens, while probiotic traits were evaluated via tolerance to acidic pH and bile salts, survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, and auto- and co-aggregation. Thirty-nine isolates exhibited desirable technological traits, including proteolytic and lipolytic activities and broad-spectrum pathogen antagonism. Among these, three isolates (two Leuconostoc mesenteroides and one Enterococcus hirae) combined desirable technological traits with survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, representing preliminary multifunctional candidates. These findings reveal Azeitão and Nisa PDO cheeses as living reservoirs of terroir, where indigenous LAB rediscovered through this approach represent both a key component of Portugal’s microbial heritage and a source of functional cultures for sustainable dairy innovation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183321

Authors: Jorge E. Navarro-Baez Jorge Welti-Chanes Zamantha Escobedo-Avellaneda

Vanilla planifolia curing is a critical process for developing vanillin and other aroma compounds; however, conventional thermal scalding (CTS) used during the killing stage may reduce the enzymatic activity required for phenolic compound formation during subsequent curing stages. This study evaluated the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) as a non-thermal killing method. Green vanilla pods were subjected to HHP treatments at 20–600 MPa for either 5 s or 5 min and compared with CTS. Moisture content, β-glucosidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities, total phenolic content, glucovanillin, vanillin, and antioxidant capacity were monitored throughout 20 sweating–drying cycles. Initial moisture content was 92%, but after 20 curing cycles, most HHP and CTS treatments reached final contents of 19.7–27.8%, except 20 MPa/5 min, which retained 60.4%, indicating delayed dehydration. Selected HHP treatments produced up to a fivefold higher initial apparent β-glucosidase activity than scalding and maintained higher activity during some early curing cycles, promoting glucovanillin conversion to vanillin. PAL activity increased immediately after the killing treatments, reaching 32.43 µmol min−1 kg−1 db for CTS and comparable values in specific HHP treatments (20 MPa/5 s, 50 MPa/5 s, and 100 MPa/5 min), demonstrating that PAL activity is affected by the pressure treatments. Selected HHP treatments also exhibited significantly higher TPC and antioxidant capacity than CTS samples at specific curing stages. Furthermore, an inverse relationship between glucovanillin depletion and vanillin formation was observed, resulting in greater vanillin accumulation and lower losses during curing. These findings indicate that HHP is a promising non-thermal alternative to conventional scalding for improving vanilla bean quality and potentially shortening the curing process.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183319

Authors: Wanwan Zhu Nan Zhang Xuekai Wang Yi Xiong Fuyu Yang Yongsheng Wang

Mulberry leaf is a promising plant feed resource for aquaculture, yet high inclusion limits its application due to anti-nutritional factors. Exogenous enzyme supplementation can improve the utilization efficiency of bioactive compounds in mulberry leaf-containing diets. This study aimed to evaluate the dose-dependent effects of mulberry leaf powder supplemented with a multi-enzyme premix (MLE) on growth, intestinal health, antioxidant and immune responses, as well as intestinal microbiota and metabolome in juvenile Acipenser schrenckii. Four diets containing 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% MLE were formulated for a 10-week feeding trial. Moderate MLE supplementation maintained normal growth without significantly improving growth performance relative to the control, and was associated with reduced serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and glucose, as well as improved intestinal morphology and digestive enzyme activity. Appropriate MLE supplementation was associated with changes in the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and upregulated anti-inflammatory gene il10. Multi-omics analysis revealed that MLE induced taxon-specific changes in the intestinal microbiota and was associated with altered metabolic profiles, enriching beneficial taxa including Priestia, Bacillus_P and Cetobacterium_A. These changes suggest a potential modulation of the microbiota–metabolite–immunity axis that may help sustain intestinal homeostasis. Nevertheless, the beneficial effects declined at the 6% inclusion level. Collectively, MLE was associated with dose-dependent protective effects on the intestinal barrier that may involve the microbiota–metabolite–immunity axis and the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway; the optimal supplementary range is preliminarily estimated at 3.5–4.5% for juvenile Acipenser schrenckii, although this estimate is based on four dietary levels and requires validation in future dose–response studies.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183318

Authors: Nannan Chen Xianglong Wu Oujun Dai Beizhi Zhang Shujing Xuan Fuzhi Xie Yu Chen Fengzhong Wang Liang Zhang

Sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa) is an ecologically and economically important fruit widely utilized in the functional food industry. However, the geographical variation in its volatile flavor profile and the potential odor relevance of individual volatile features remain insufficiently understood. In this study, volatile profiles of commercial sour jujube pulp samples labeled as originating from eight representative geographical regions across China were characterized using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). A total of 1296 putative volatile annotations were obtained, including esters, aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, terpenoids, hydrocarbons, and other compounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed distinct distribution patterns among several sample groups. The OPLS-DA model showed acceptable internal validation performance, with cumulative R2X, R2Y, and Q2 values of 0.967, 0.891, and 0.811, respectively. Medium-chain fatty acid ethyl esters, including ethyl dodecanoate, ethyl decanoate, and ethyl octanoate, contributed strongly to the multivariate differentiation of SDDY samples. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis further indicated that volatile abundance was not necessarily proportional to predicted odor contribution. Several trace volatile features with low reported odor thresholds, such as 1-nonen-3-one, 2-methoxy-3-(2-methylpropyl)pyrazine, and benzenemethanethiol, showed high calculated OAVs and may be important aroma-relevant candidates. Overall, this study provides an integrated volatile-profiling and OAV-based approach for characterizing compositional differences among commercial sour jujube pulp samples from different reported origins. Because the samples were commercially sourced and no independent external validation or direct sensory evaluation was performed, the results should be interpreted as exploratory evidence of origin-associated differentiation rather than as a validated geographical authentication system.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183317

Authors: Yağmur Küçükduman Özge Taştan Ülkü Buket Şahyar

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a nutritious leafy vegetable rich in phenolic compounds, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. However, pesticide residues remaining after cultivation may pose risks to human health, making effective post-harvest decontamination treatments necessary. This study investigated the effects of different washing treatments 5% sodium bicarbonate (SB), 5% acetic acid (AA), 5% citric acid (CA), a mixture containing 2.5% acetic acid and 2.5% citric acid (AA-CA), tap water washing (TW), and ultrasound-assisted washing for 5, 10, and 15 min (US-5′, US-10′, and US-15′, respectively) on pesticide residue reduction and quality characteristics of purslane. This study used an artificial surface contamination model with a 4 h holding period before washing. Residue analyses of acetamiprid, cypermethrin, imidacloprid, and propargite were performed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS using the QuEChERS extraction method. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of the SB sample were significantly lower than those of the other treatments. Color analysis showed significantly higher ΔE* values in the SB sample. Acidic treatments generally resulted in higher TA% and lower pH and chlorophyll contents than the other treatments. Depending on the pesticide and washing treatment, residue reduction efficiencies ranged from 6.33% to 72.22%. Ultrasound-assisted washing (UAW) provided a favorable balance between residue reduction and preservation of several quality attributes, including total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, total flavonoid content (TFC), color, and chlorophyll contents in purslane. These results indicate that ultrasound-assisted washing, particularly the 5 min treatment, provided a favorable balance between pesticide residue reduction and preservation of several quality attributes; however, longer ultrasound exposure was associated with deterioration of some quality characteristics, particularly firmness and weight loss.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183316

Authors: Chan Kyu Park Dong-Hoon Shin

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is an edible nut rich in phytochemicals with potential health-promoting properties; however, the bioactive constituents responsible for its neuroprotective effects remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to identify bioactive constituents from pecan through bioactivity-guided fractionation and to evaluate the protective effects of pecan extract and the identified compound against oxidative stress and amyloid beta (Aβ)1–42-induced cognitive impairment. Pecan ethanolic extract exhibited antioxidant and cytoprotective activities in PC12 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Sequential liquid–liquid fractionation, silica gel open-column chromatography, and preparative thin-layer chromatography, coupled with repeated bioactivity screening, progressively tracked the active fractions and led to the identification of ethyl gallate as a bioactive constituent of pecan extract by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The biological relevance of these findings was further evaluated in Aβ1–42-injected male mice. Dietary administration of pecan extract significantly improved spontaneous alternation performance in the Y-maze test, whereas ethyl gallate improved Y-maze performance and memory retention in the passive avoidance test, without apparent systemic toxicity under the experimental conditions. Although brain malondialdehyde levels showed a numerical decrease following ethyl gallate administration, the differences were not statistically significant. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the bioactivity-guided linkage of ethyl gallate to an active pecan fraction and provide preclinical evidence supporting further investigation of pecan-derived bioactives as food-derived functional ingredients relevant to cognitive health.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183314

Authors: Lunzheng Zhou Runzhi Wang

Intensifying global climate change poses a severe threat to agricultural production, and strengthening China’s food security resilience is therefore of great practical significance for safeguarding food security in China. This study constructs an evaluation system comprising 17 indicators across four dimensions—supply availability, consumption access, food utilization, and system stability—and applies the entropy–TOPSIS method, the Dagum Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, Markov chains, an obstacle degree model, and the GM(1,1) grey prediction model to measure the level and potential of food security resilience across 31 provinces in China. The results show that China’s food security resilience exhibits a steady upward trend, with the composite score rising from 0.2240 in 2010 to 0.3504 in 2024. Regional disparities are dominated by inter-group differences, whose average contribution rate reaches 70.13%, and the overall Gini coefficient declines gradually. Resilience shows a significant positive spatial autocorrelation throughout, with the global Moran’s I remaining significant at the 1% level in all years. Transitions among resilience levels are characterized by “club convergence”, with the high-level club being the most stable, and neighborhood states significantly condition local transitions. The grain self-sufficiency rate, rural broadband access per capita, and the soil erosion control rate are the leading obstacle factors; at the dimension level, the obstacle degree of supply availability resilience rises and ranks highest by 2024. Panel econometric results further confirm that flood shocks and temperature variability significantly undermine food security resilience, providing direct evidence for the climate change context. Forecasts indicate that national food security resilience will rise to around 0.42 by 2029, with the eastern region maintaining its lead; Tianjin and Beijing rank at the top, while Tibet is the only province projected to decline. The findings of this study provide a reference for the Chinese government in formulating policies to enhance food security resilience and offer a Chinese solution for promoting global food security.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183315

Authors: Man Zhou Qier Mu Na Liu Yuan Sun Xiaoping An Jingwei Qi

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (G. uralensis) stems are an underutilized agricultural by-product rich in polysaccharides, phenolics, and flavonoids. This study systematically compared enzymatic and high-temperature steam treatments for improving their functional value. Both treatments altered plant matrix architecture but exhibited distinct effects. Enzymatic processing largely preserved the original color and induced moderate cell wall loosening, whereas steam treatment caused more extensive tissue disruption, porous structure formation, and thermal browning. Enzymatic treatment increased extract solubility from 0.25% to 0.32%, soluble polysaccharide content from 266.06 ± 1.58 to 319.40 ± 4.19 mg/g, and total phenolic content from 49.69 ± 0.65 to 63.99 ± 0.81 mg/g. In contrast, steam treatment reduced solubility to 0.14% and total phenolic content to 38.39 ± 0.52 mg/g, despite increasing polysaccharide content to 300.50 ± 3.02 mg/g. Metabolomic analysis revealed divergent flavonoid remodeling between the two processing strategies, with enzymatic treatment associated with distinct changes in the relative abundance of several flavonoid subclasses and metabolites. Consistently, enzyme-treated extracts showed superior DPPH radical-scavenging activity (90.90% at 16 mg/mL) and markedly improved embryo survival and hatching rates (91.25%) in an AAPH-induced zebrafish model. Collectively, these findings highlight that controlled enzymatic remodeling, rather than excessive thermal disruption, is more effective for preserving functional molecules and enhancing the bioactive potential of G. uralensis stems.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183312

Authors: Zhilin Gan Kaiyi Xu Baoqing Zhu Yu Shuai Honglin An Sijia Wu Yixuan Li Qianyun Han

European bilberry anthocyanins are promising natural pigments and bioactive compounds, but their application in food systems is limited by their sensitivity to environmental stresses. This study compared apple pectin (AP), citrus pectin (CP), and blueberry pectin (BP) for their effects on the association, stability, and antioxidant activity of bilberry anthocyanins. The optimized complexation conditions were an anthocyanin-to-pectin mass ratio of 1:2.5, pH 3.0, and 80 min. The pectins differed in monosaccharide composition, with (Gal + Ara)/Rha ratios of 2.06, 2.68, and 3.88 for AP, CP, and BP, respectively. Under the these conditions, the binding percentage followed the order AP-A > CP-A > BP-A. FT-IR, XRD, and SEM analyses showed changes in functional group regions, diffraction patterns, and surface morphology after complex formation, consistent with non-covalent association. AP-A showed the highest protective effect among the tested complexes, increasing anthocyanin retention from 48.52% to 64.42% after heating at 90 °C for 5 h and from 8.90% to 37.18% after 5 days of indoor natural light exposure. In the antioxidant assays, AP-A reduced the DPPH and ABTS IC50 values from 46.64 to 31.12 μg/mL and from 0.90 to 0.372 mg/mL, respectively. These findings provide useful information for understanding the relationship between pectin compositional features and anthocyanin stabilization, and may support the rational selection of pectin matrices for anthocyanin-rich food systems.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183311

Authors: Di Wang Ya Wei Chunsheng Li Gang Yu Jianwei Cen Yanyan Wu Zhenhua Ma Xue Zhao Shan Huang Yongqiang Zhao

Wet aging is a promising strategy for improving the eating quality of high-value aquatic products, yet the metabolic basis underlying quality and flavor changes in greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) remains unclear. In this study, greater amberjack was wet-aged under refrigerated conditions, and changes in physicochemical properties, taste attributes, free amino acids (FAAs), and metabolite profiles were evaluated. The pH values initially decreased and then increased, whereas moisture content declined during the aging period. Total viable counts (TVC) increased with aging time but remained below the total microbial limit for raw aquatic products. TCA-soluble peptides increased, while UFAAs increased and BFAAs and TFAAs decreased (p < 0.05). TBARS values also increased, indicating enhanced lipid oxidation. Electronic tongue analysis showed increased sensor responses associated with umami and saltiness after aging. Metabolomic analysis showed differences among aging stages, with glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism significantly affected. During wet aging, L-glutamic acid, taste-related peptides, lipid oxidation products, and phospholipid degradation products accumulated, a pattern consistent with proteolysis and lipid remodeling. Overall, wet aging altered the instrumental taste profile and promoted the accumulation of taste-related compounds and lipid-derived metabolites that may serve as potential precursors for volatile formation in greater amberjack. These results provide the basis for optimizing wet aging for aquatic products.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183310

Authors: Kriangsuk Boontiang Natthakitti Boonnak Parinya Boonarsa Sirithon Siriamornpun

This study investigated the effects of colchicine treatment on phenolic and flavonoid profiles, organic acids, antioxidant activities, and structural characteristics of the epidermis and cortex of edible cactus [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] cladodes at different maturity stages (1, 3, and 6 months). Cladodes were treated with 0, 0.5, and 1.0% colchicine for 24 h prior to cultivation. Colchicine significantly influenced metabolite accumulation, with responses varying across tissues and maturity stages. In the epidermis, total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 942.67 to 1292.72 mg GAE/100 g DW, while total flavonoid content (TFC) ranged from 509.42 to 1322.55 mg QE/100 g DW. HPLC analysis further revealed marked increases in chlorogenic acid (6.25-fold), gentisic acid (3.47-fold), and gallic acid (63.9%), while rutin and apigenin were the predominant flavonoids. In contrast, the cortex accumulated higher levels of organic acids, particularly malic acid. FTIR and XRD analyses indicated that colchicine treatment did not substantially alter the major functional groups or crystalline characteristics of the cladodes. Pearson’s correlation and heatmap analyses further revealed positive associations among phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities. These findings indicate that colchicine concentration and maturity stage were associated with distinct patterns of metabolite accumulation and antioxidant activity in edible cactus cladodes, supporting their potential application as functional food ingredients.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183309

Authors: Man Zhou Tian Jiang Chenglin Li Chunhua Dai

Laccase-like nanozymes (LLNs) are a class of functional nanomaterials inspired by natural laccases. Due to their excellent catalytic performance, structural tunability, and superior stability, LLNs have emerged as promising tools for food quality and safety monitoring. This review establishes a critical structure–activity–application framework for LLNs, correlating bioinspired and structural engineering strategies, with the regulation of active sites, electronic structures, and catalytic microenvironments, and, ultimately, with their analytical performance in food matrices. Key insights are provided into how LLNs are integrated with colorimetric, fluorometric, electrochemical, and multimodal sensing platforms. Furthermore, particular emphasis is placed on their applications in food quality monitoring, including the detection of bioactive markers, freshness monitoring of meat products, authentication and adulteration analysis of tea, and assessment of other quality-relevant parameters. For food safety, the sensitive detection of mycotoxins, pesticide and antibiotic residues, and food additives is specifically highlighted. Despite these advances, challenges remain in elucidating catalytic mechanisms and active-site structures, establishing standardized evaluation criteria, and improving selectivity and reliability in complex food matrices. Future research should therefore focus on rational active-site engineering, in situ mechanistic characterization, standardized performance evaluation, and the integration of LLNs with multi-mode, portable, and intelligent sensing technologies to facilitate practical food analysis.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183308

Authors: Jianli Hu Lixin Ma Wenya Zhang Jinxiu Song Pengpeng Yu

Postharvest fruit quality differs among various fruits and alters during sorting, packaging, transportation and storage. Therefore, it is important to have an efficient and objective grading method that causes little mechanical damage to ensure the uniformity of products and decrease market price and losses in the supply chain. This paper describes the grading norms, detection techniques, processing algorithms, structural designs and practical uses in different types of fruits. It examines the external features, internal quality and hidden faults by using machine vision, visible-near-infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral and X-ray imaging, acoustic and mechanical detection, electronic noses and the integration of multiple sensors. In addition, it also investigates conventional machine learning, deep learning, transfer learning and lightweight implementations. The research has developed from grading according to size, weight and color to a complete evaluation of ripeness, juice volume, hardness, internal defects and shelf life. Moreover, single detection devices are joined together to construct integrated systems including feeding, separation, inspection, classification, redirection, packaging and data management. However, the application is restricted by the discrepancy between the grading criteria and measurable results, the lack of cross-species and batch generalization ability, and the difficulty in coordinating multiple sensors in real time. The systems should maintain a balance between production speed, mechanical damage and costs. Some matters needing attention are to standardize the quality description, choose multi-source fusion, develop adaptive lightweight models, design modular structures and guarantee end-to-end traceability. Solving these problems will facilitate the transition from accurate laboratory identification to reliable, economic and extensive commercial grading.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183307

Authors: Mohammed H. Moghadasian Hibah Khawar

Our previous studies using large national datasets revealed that most Canadian adolescents and elderly people do not consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. The present study aimed to explore the patterns of food consumption in a sample of college students. This is a secondary analysis of a master’s thesis completed in 2018. Sixty-eight students completed the study by providing a 3-day food record. Considering the 2011 Canada’s Food Guide, the consumption of four main food groups, plus the intakes of energy, nutrients, dietary fiber, and water, were estimated. The self-identified female and male participants had different food consumption profiles for all food groups; this variation was more prominent in fruits and vegetables as well as milk and dairy foods. The consumption of plant-based foods was below the recommended amounts in most of the students. The intakes of energy, proteins, fats, cholesterol, vitamins (A, C, D), sodium, and dietary fiber significantly varied between the two groups of students. Additional studies are needed to establish whether these findings may be applicable to larger adult populations.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183306

Authors: Ihlana Nairfana Jaspreet Singh Mike Boland Lovedeep Kaur

Particle size influences microbial accessibility during solid-state fermentation and may therefore determine the extent of structural modification and functionality of plant-based ingredients. This study investigated how the particle size of lupin substrates prior to fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus (R. oligosporus) influences fermentation behaviour and the properties of the resulting fermented flour. Split, crushed, and fine lupin fractions were fermented, freeze-dried, milled to flour, and compared with unfermented lupin flour. Fermentation modified the chemical composition by reducing fat content and altering dietary fibre composition through a decrease in insoluble dietary fibre and an increase in soluble dietary fibre, particularly in the crushed fraction. Amino acid composition was also influenced by fermentation, with higher total essential amino acid contents observed in the crushed and fine fractions than in the split fraction. Functional properties were strongly affected by particle size, with the fermented crushed fraction exhibiting the highest water holding capacity, protein solubility, emulsifying activity, foaming capacity, and viscoelastic strength. FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated that fermentation induced controlled protein restructuring and molecular reorganisation without extensive denaturation, with the crushed fraction showing the most favourable balance between structural modification and protein stability. Multivariate analysis further confirmed that functional performance was governed by the interaction of compositional and structural changes. Overall, particle size is a critical processing parameter that regulates fermentation efficiency and determines the quality of fermented lupin flour.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183305

Authors: Yanghai Wang Ruijun Lyu Hongchao Shang Yuchen Yao Bonian Zhao Yan Gao Lu Liu

Lonicerae japonicae Flos (LJF) is a medicinal and edible herbal material whose chemical characteristics and biological activity may vary with geographical origin. In this study, 27 LJF batches from Shandong, Henan, and Hebei Provinces were evaluated using headspace gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS–GC–IMS), multivariate analysis, and a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus superinfection following influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. HS–GC–IMS detected 62 volatile ion signals; 49 were tentatively assigned to 36 unique volatile organic compounds (VOCs), while 13 remained unidentified. Fingerprint analysis revealed distinct origin-associated differences in volatile profiles, and OPLS–DA showed the clearest separation of Shandong samples from those from Henan and Hebei (R2Y = 0.898; Q2 = 0.844). Thirty-two VIP-ranked signals were identified as candidate discriminant variables. In vivo, LJF aqueous extracts reduced the lung index, pulmonary bacterial burden, and relative NP RNA expression. Samples from Shandong and Henan generally showed greater improvements than those from Hebei across the evaluated endpoints. Overall, both the chemical and pharmacodynamic datasets indicated origin-associated variation in LJF. Direct relationships between specific volatile constituents and pharmacodynamic effects, however, were not established. These findings support the integration of HS–GC–IMS profiling with pharmacodynamic assessment as a practical framework for origin-related quality evaluation of LJF, while targeted confirmation of key discriminatory VOCs and further chemical–efficacy analyses remain warranted.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183304

Authors: Yilin Zhang Zhenmin Liu Chunping You

Functional fermented dairy products are increasingly investigated as food-based approaches to support health, but their potential relevance to cognitive dysfunction remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated skim milk fermented with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus KF7 (KF7-fermented milk) in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. KF7-fermented milk was associated with better cognitive performance and lower amyloid-β plaque burden in APP/PS1 mice. The intervention was also associated with higher whole-blood 5-hydroxytryptamine, lower cerebral glutamate, lower whole-blood expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and less pronounced cortical microglial and astrocytic activation. In the intestine, KF7-fermented milk was associated with higher expression of selected barrier-related genes. Microbiome analysis showed differences in gut microbial composition, while fecal metabolomics identified secondary bile acid biosynthesis as the strongest FDR-supported pathway associated with the intervention. Overall, KF7-fermented milk was associated with differences in cognitive, pathological, inflammatory, intestinal, microbial, and metabolic features in APP/PS1 mice. These findings provide preclinical evidence supporting further investigation of KF7-fermented milk as a food-based intervention relevant to gut–brain health.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183303

Authors: Urszula Kaim Urszula Gawlik Katarzyna Lisiecka

The journal retracts the article titled “Why Does Monk Fruit Extract Remain Only Partially Approved in the EU [...]

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183302

Authors: Leandy Bertrand Keely A. Shaw Shannon Hood-Niefer Jongbum Ko Julianne Gordon Gordon A. Zello Philip D. Chilibeck

We determined whether improvements in metabolic health occur when sedentary office workers replace their regular workplace lunches with pulse-based meals (containing chickpeas, lentils, or split peas). We first tested 10 meals for favourability in 180 participants randomly given combinations of meal pairs. Based on their rankings, we chose seven meals to include in our clinical study. For the clinical study, we used a randomized, single-blind (researchers blind), cross-over design, where participants (n = 20 females; six males; 39 ± 13 y) were assigned to a pulse-based diet to replace their regular workplace meals or their regular diet for 2 months before crossing over to the other diet. Outcomes included insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, blood pressure, and body composition. Diet phase did not impact insulin sensitivity (Matsuda Index; pulse diet: −5.4 ± 23.5; regular diet: −7.5 ± 21.8; p = 0.81). The pulse diet significantly reduced the total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) ratio (−0.13 ± 0.30 vs. +0.08 ± 0.29; p = 0.014), and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to HDL-c ratio (−0.17 ± 0.36 vs. +0.03 ± 0.29; p = 0.033) compared to the regular diet. There were no significant differences between diet phases for blood pressure or body composition. Pulse-based meals incorporated into the office work environment improved blood lipid ratios, but had no effect on insulin sensitivity. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03941704).

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183301

Authors: Sebastian Bühler Angelika Ploeger Hartmut Vogtmann

Replacing conventional curing agents in fermented sausages is technologically demanding, particularly in organic production, where nitrite curing salts are not permitted. This study validated an industrial-scale process for organic salami manufactured entirely without nitrite curing salt or other additives, and assessed volatile N-nitrosamine formation during domestic-style heating. Twenty production batches were monitored across two consecutive years under standardised industrial conditions. Samples from three batches were analysed for seven volatile N-nitrosamines before and after heating at 200 °C for 12 min and at 230 °C for 15 min by gas chromatography with thermal energy analysis. Fermentation was reproducible, yielding a mean final pH of 5.17 ± 0.18 with no significant year effect. Final water activity remained at or below 0.90 (mean 0.881), confirming dehydration as the decisive hurdle. Residual nitrate and nitrite remained low, and hygiene indicator counts were low; Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli were absent. All nitrosamines remained below the detection limit in unheated salami and after heating at 200 °C; small increases in N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosopiperidine and N-nitrosopyrrolidine occurred only under severe heating and remained toxicologically non-critical. For the product and conditions investigated, organic salami can therefore be produced safely and reproducibly at industrial scale without nitrite curing salt.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183300

Authors: Hui Liu Miao Zhang Taihua Mu Hongnan Sun

Potato protein hydrolysates (PPHs) produced by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis exhibit strong antioxidant activity. However, their inherent bitterness limits their application in food sectors. Therefore, this research investigated the effects of energy-divergent ultrasound (EDU)- and energy-gathered ultrasound (EGU)-assisted enzymatic treatment and exogenous amino acids (alanine (Ala), phenylalanine (Phe), and valine (Val)) on the peptide structure, antioxidant activity, and instrumental taste profile of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) prepared from PPHs. It was found that EDU and EGU significantly promoted the progress of the Maillard reaction (MR). All MRPs presented remarkable changes in the peptide structure compared to their PPH counterparts. Under the equal-mass addition of exogenous amino acids, MRPs from EDU with Ala at 120 min (EDU-Ala-120) presented the highest percentage of molecular weight (MW) <2 kDa fractions (68.55%), and a markedly improved oxygen radical absorption capacity value of 108.44 µg Trolox equivalent (TE)/mL. MRPs from EDU revealed significantly stronger umami taste and lower bitterness, while MRPs from EGU exhibited stronger sweetness. The umami taste of the MRPs was strongly negatively correlated with bitterness (−0.9517, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with esters (0.7293, p < 0.01), whereas the sweetness of the MRPs was positively associated with specific volatile components but negatively correlated with <1 kDa peptides (−0.6039, p < 0.05). Thus, the EDU-assisted enzymatic treatment and MR with the addition of appropriate exogenous amino acids could be a prospective way to produce natural flavor with enhanced antioxidant activity.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183299

Authors: Pedro Melgarejo-Martínez Antonio López-Gómez José Ramón Acosta-Motos Ginés Benito Martínez-Hernández Juan D. Franco-Navarro Antonio José Pérez-López

Fresh fruits are highly perishable products whose acceptance depends not only on external appearance and firmness, but also on the preservation of taste and aroma. This review addresses the relationship between active packaging and the maintenance of fruit sensory quality, with special emphasis on the volatilome as a dynamic marker of aroma integrity. The first part examines how taste and aroma are formed during ripening through the interaction of sugars, organic acids, phenolics, amino acids, and a wide range of volatile compounds, including fatty-acid-derived esters and aldehydes, terpenoids, carotenoid-derived norisoprenoids, phenylpropanoids, sulfur-containing compounds, and glycosidically bound precursors. It then analyzes how these traits deteriorate during packaged shelf life through temperature effects, refrigerated and room-temperature storage, microbial and enzymatic activity, mechanical damage, and packaging-atmosphere imbalance, showing that visual and sensory shelf life do not necessarily decline together. The second part reviews how active packaging can preserve—or unintentionally distort—this volatilome, covering modified-atmosphere and gas-regulating systems, antimicrobial and ethylene-managing systems based on released essential oils, sulfur dioxide and ethanol emitters, oxygen and carbon dioxide regulators, moisture absorbers, multi-active combinations, and packaging-adjacent edible coatings. A recurring principle emerges: every active function is double-edged, as an intervention that delays spoilage or senescence may itself add exogenous notes or trigger fermentative off-flavors unless it is tuned to a sensory compatibility threshold. The packaging material is also decisive, since paper and cardboard buffer humidity and interact weakly with aroma compounds, whereas high-barrier polymers sustain a modified atmosphere but can scalp esters and terpenes; conversely, releasing volatiles compatible with the native aroma can act as an aroma-positive strategy that restores characteristic notes. Active packaging should therefore be evaluated not only by conventional quality parameters, but also by headspace gas evolution, sugar/acid balance, odor-active volatiles, off-flavor markers, and sensory validation, together with consumer acceptance, odor-threshold relevance, migration and safety considerations, and kinetic matching between active-agent release, fruit respiration, and flavor evolution.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183298

Authors: Jinhao Zou Xiaowei Tian Siyi Wang Ye Sun

Goji leaves and buds are used as vegetables and teas, but their composition and behavior in formulated foods differ from those of the berries. This critical narrative review examines their phytochemistry, processing, food applications, digestion, and safety, with selected comparisons to berry-processing residues and orchard biomass. The literature includes leaf-tea processing, polysaccharide-modified dough, emulsion delivery systems, and bud-tea or leaf-extract additions to savory foods. Genotype, harvest stage, and extraction account for substantial compositional variation. In food matrices, improvements in rheology, oxidative stability, or flavor depend on formulation and dose—higher inclusion does not consistently improve sensory quality. Simulated digestion and biological models provide preparation-specific findings but do not establish clinical efficacy. Safety evidence includes a short-term toxicology study of one roasted Lycium chinense leaf extract and pesticide occurrence and infusion-transfer measurements in bud tea. Neither dataset establishes safety across all leaf-derived products. Berry residues have separate applications in bakery products, ingredient recovery, and animal feed, whereas woody branches are predominantly agricultural biomass. Extraction yield alone establishes neither food suitability nor environmental benefit. The main unresolved issue is whether the compositional and technological effects observed in individual experiments persist across production batches, realistic servings, storage, and longer-term exposure.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183297

Authors: Yongzheng Hu Qiuxia Shen Lin Yang Mingyuan Li

Polished rice is a global staple with a high glycemic index (GI), which makes it unsuitable for patients with diabetes. Functional rice reconstitution offers an effective technological approach for producing a low-GI nutritional staple. Konjac powder (KP), mulberry leaf extract (MLE), pueraria powder (PP), and resistant starch (RS) are functional ingredients that reduce the carbohydrate content of staple foods and attenuate postprandial blood glucose fluctuations. In this study, we developed three reconstituted rice formulations with low estimated glycemic index (eGI) using varying proportions of KP, MLE, PP, and RS, and investigated their nutritional composition, microstructure, cooking and textural properties, amino acid profile, volatile compounds, sensory quality, and in vitro starch digestibility. The functional ingredients increased dietary fiber and RS, formed a dense starch–colloid gel network with enhanced hydrogen bonding, improved cooking quality and texture, preserved the amino acid profile, enriched flavor, and achieved good sensory acceptability. Among the formulations, the MLE-high RS (MHR) formulation (80.0% rice, 9.0% KP, 0.5% MLE, 2.0% PP, and 8.5% RS) exhibited the lowest eGI as determined via in vitro digestion. Overall, this study provides theoretical and technical support for the development and industrial application of functional reconstituted rice with reduced starch digestibility.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183296

Authors: Mario Astuni Marina Ceruso Lucia Anella Ammaturo Giovanni Battista Varcasia Iolanda Venuti Marta Castrica Tiziana Pepe

Bacillus cereus is a ubiquitous spore-forming bacterium associated with foodborne illness. Although frequently detected as a contaminant in food-processing environments, the presence of specific virulence-associated genes may be relevant to food safety. Pathogenicity is mainly associated with production of emetic and diarrheal toxins. In a previous survey assessing the hygienic and sanitary conditions of vending machines in the Campania Region (Italy), B. cereus was the predominant pathogenic microorganism recovered. The present study aimed to characterize the virulence-associated gene profiles of DNA extracts from these B. cereus-positive samples to assess their potential pathogenicity-related and food-safety relevance. A total of 221 samples, including finished products (cappuccino), powdered ingredients (e.g., milk and coffee), and surface swabs, were collected. B. cereus was detected in 51.6% (114/221) samples using the nhe gene for species identification. The virulence-associated genes cwpFM, cytK, hblD, and ces, among the most frequently associated with foodborne illness, were investigated by end-point Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The prevalence was 67% for cwpFM, 54% for cytK, 53% for hblD, and 11% for ces. These findings reveal virulence- and persistence-associated genetic markers in B. cereus-positive vending machine samples, highlighting the need for effective hygiene measures, improved sanitation, and enhanced monitoring.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183295

Authors: Cosmin-Alin Faur Adela Pintea Dumitrița Rugină Mihai Andrei Lăcătuș Melinda Milena Horvat Andrea Bunea

Grapes are valued for their high anthocyanin content, but the biological efficacy of these compounds is limited by their low digestive recovery. This study evaluated whether milk caseins improve the digestive recovery of anthocyanins from three red grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars. Anthocyanins were profiled by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically, the effect on cell viability was assessed on B16-F10 murine melanoma cells, and the digestive recovery of anthocyanins was measured after standardized static in vitro digestion (INFOGEST protocol) with and without α- or β-casein. Thirteen anthocyanins were detected, with malvidin-3-O-glucoside predominating in all cultivars. Fetească Neagră showed the highest total phenolic content (535.01 ± 38.43 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g fresh weight), flavonoid content (202.52 ± 30.61 mg catechin equivalents/100 g) and antioxidant activity, and its extract reduced melanoma cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, with viability remaining above 50% over the range tested. Total anthocyanin recovery during digestion decreased from 43.29–46.22% after the gastric phase to 8.82–12.25% after the intestinal phase. α-Casein significantly increased these values to 53.48–55.84% and 15.58–24.74%, respectively, in all cultivars. β-Casein had no significant effect in the gastric phase and was effective only in Pinot Noir after the intestinal phase (10.51% to 19.10%). α-Casein thus limited the intestinal degradation of grape anthocyanins, while cultivar composition determined the extent of the effect.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183294

Authors: Piyathida Chanaim Siraphat Taesuwan Suphat Phongthai Dayong Zhou Qi Zhao Kanyasiri Rakariyatham

Agro-industrial by-product valorization promotes the circular bioeconomy, food security, and sustainability by recycling waste products into reusable resources. This study evaluated various protein extraction methods for processed mustard seed (Brassica juncea) meal, including conventional alkaline (CON), enzyme-pretreated alkaline (ENZ), ultrasound-assisted alkaline (US), and enzyme-pretreated and ultrasound-assisted alkaline (ENZ+US) extraction methods. The protein content extracted from the various treatments ranged from 70.67% to 82.31% (molecular weights: 10–75 kDa), with morphology shifting from rough to smooth surfaces in enzymatic treatments. Viscozyme L hydrolysis of cell-wall polysaccharides in ENZ and ENZ+US treatments facilitated co-extraction of non-protein bioactives as shown by enhanced antioxidant capacities through hydrogen/electron donation mechanisms, including superior Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity (7.20–7.95 mg GAE/g), radical scavenging (DPPH•: 8.75–9.33; ABTS•+: 42.97–56.86 mg TE/g), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP: 13.59–14.49 mg TE/g). Conversely, the US treatment may generate reactive species that reduce antioxidant capacity while increasing visual lightness (L*) and preserving in vitro digestibility (66.19%) at a level comparable to that of CON (67.63%). Meanwhile, the CON treatment exhibited the highest protein solubility across all pH levels, driving a higher emulsifying activity index (42.15 m2/g). In summary, this research demonstrates that B. juncea seed waste can be transformed into high-value functional ingredients by tailoring the extraction method to targeted product properties. However, low extraction yields present a significant bottleneck, and therefore industrial and economic feasibility will depend on future yield optimization in order to drive sustainable plant-based protein development.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183292

Authors: Li-Li Li Zhi-Jing Ni Run-Hui Ma Wei Wang Kiran Thakur Zhao-Jun Wei

This study systematically evaluated the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP, 500 MPa, 10 min) on the comprehensive quality of selenium-sand melon juice (SSJ) over a 35-day refrigerated storage period (4 °C). To simulate extreme contamination scenarios, samples were inoculated with Escherichia coli (6.886 log10 CFU/mL) and Aspergillus sclerotioniger (5.011 log10 spores/mL). Five treatment groups were established, including HPP-treated (inoculated and uninoculated) and low-temperature long-time (LTLT, 65 °C for 30 min) pasteurized (inoculated and uninoculated) groups. HPP treatment completely inactivated the inoculated microorganisms, with no regrowth detected during storage, whereas regrowth was observed in the LTLT groups after day 7. HPP-treated samples exhibited superior color stability (ΔE ≤ 1.58) and compounds, and maintained a higher final pH (5.76 vs. 5.39 in LTLT) at the end of storage, with significantly better retention of lycopene and total phenolic compounds compared to LTLT-treated samples. OPLS-DA analysis of volatile compounds showed that the HPP-M group had only four discriminating compounds (VIP ≥ 1), all characteristic C9 aldehydes and alcohols, while the LTLT-M group showed significant acetic acid accumulation, likely due to residual microbial metabolism. This study demonstrates that HPP is superior to LTLT pasteurization for ensuring microbial safety, preserving nutritional quality, and maintaining the characteristic flavor of SSJ during cold storage.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183293

Authors: Giuseppe Natrella Michele Faccia

Milk and dairy products have accompanied human diets for millennia, and their nutritional relevance—as sources of high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals—has never really been in question [...]

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183291

Authors: Yanru Zhou Huawei Zang Haochen Du Farooq Muhammad Raza Panpan Wang Linxi Yuan Zhi-Qing Lin Li Wang Miao Li

This study fills a critical knowledge gap by elucidating the mechanisms of melatonin (MT) and selenium (Se) in enhancing strawberry resistance to Botrytis cinerea through integrated physiological, biochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses, providing an eco-friendly strategy for postharvest disease management. Combined MT (0.5 mmol/L) and sodium selenite (25 mg/L) exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on B. cinerea, reducing colony diameter to 1.05 cm with an inhibition rate of 93.67%, compared with MT (14.08%) alone or sodium selenite alone (42.87%). MT+Se treatment significantly reduced gray mold incidence in strawberry fruits to <15% at 96 h, versus >75% in controls, while maintaining higher soluble sugar (13.25 vs. 7.01 mg/g) and protein (0.286 vs. 0.186 mg/g) contents. Moreover, MT+Se attenuated oxidative damage by lowering malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (7.47 vs. 11.63 nmol/g FW) and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities (e.g., POD: 12.918 vs. 8.411 U/g FW). Integrated transcriptomic–metabolomic analyses revealed that MT+Se upregulated antioxidant enzyme genes (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX), resistance-related genes, and transcription factors, while enhancing flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and promoting secondary metabolite accumulation (e.g., epicatechin, naringenin chalcone). Overall, combined MT+Se treatment enhanced strawberry resistance to B. cinerea by boosting antioxidant defense and resistance pathways, offering an eco-friendly strategy for postharvest disease control.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183290

Authors: Ibrahim Rabeeah Alberto Zavarise Alessandro Manghi Viktoria Gruber-Schmidt Matthias Hackl Renate Paltram Manfred Gössinger Luca Cattani Karl Stich Hester Sheehan Heidi Halbwirth Christian Haselmair-Gosch

β-Glucosidases (βGLs) play important roles in plant secondary metabolism by hydrolyzing glycosylated compounds involved in defense, signaling, and the formation of bioactive and flavor-related metabolites. In this study, a β-glucosidase from Fragaria × ananassa (Fra-βGL; FxaC_10g48920.t1) was identified and biochemically characterized in comparison with a commercial β-glucosidase from Prunus dulcis (Pru-βGL). The Fra-βGL cDNA was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified for biochemical characterization. Substrate screening demonstrated that Fra-βGL hydrolyzed the 7-O-glucosides of quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin, whereas no detectable activity was observed toward the tested 3-O-glucosides, anthocyanin glucosides, arbutin, or phloridzin under the assay conditions. Kinetic analysis revealed higher catalytic efficiencies of Fra-βGL than Pru-βGL toward all four substrates examined. Fra-βGL showed its highest turnover rate and catalytic efficiency toward the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (pNP-Glc), with a Kcat of 60.33 s−1 and a Kcat/Km of 10.18 mM−1·s−1. Among the naturally occurring flavonoid glucosides, Fra-βGL exhibited the highest catalytic efficiency toward quercetin 7-O-glucoside (4.14 mM−1·s−1), approximately fivefold higher than that of Pru-βGL (0.824 mM−1·s−1). Thermal stability analysis showed progressive loss of activity with increasing temperature, with Pru-βGL retaining greater residual activity than Fra-βGL at elevated temperatures. Molecular docking suggested structural features that may contribute to the observed preference of Fra-βGL for flavonoid 7-O-glucosides over the corresponding 3-O-glucosides. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the substrate selectivity and distinct catalytic properties of Fra-βGL and identify Fra-βGL as a candidate for further investigation in the context of flavonoid glycoside metabolism in strawberry.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183289

Authors: Junshun Zhang Yuqi Li Juanjuan Luo Suwan Lu Qishun Zhu Linlin Yin Shoubao Yan

Ginseng is an important plant with both medicinal and edible values, which are widely used after thermal processing. To investigate the effects of autoclaving on the flavor of fresh ginseng, electronic nose (E-nose), headspace–gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) and headspace–solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) were employed to characterize the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in autoclaved ginseng (AG) and fresh ginseng (FG). The results of E-nose detection revealed significant differences in the volatile components between AG and FG, with AG containing more abundant short-chain alkanes such as methane, organic sulfides and aromatic components. A total of 81 VOCs, mainly aldehydes, alcohols and esters, were qualitatively identified by GC-IMS. GC-MS analysis identified 1103 VOCs, among which 181 volatile components showed a downward trend and 72 exhibited an upward trend after the autoclaving process. Notably, terpenoids, esters and ketones exhibited significant differences in composition and abundance between FG and AG. This study elucidated the effects of autoclaving on the volatile flavor profile of fresh ginseng and offered critical theoretical insights for flavor analysis and quality improvement in ginseng processing, as well as the rational development of ginseng functional foods.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183288

Authors: Menalda V. André Catarina Prista Vítor D. Alves Teresa J. S. Matos

Goat meat ageing is a promising strategy for improving meat quality and adding value to meat from adult animals. This review aimed to provide an integrated overview of goat meat ageing, focusing on biochemical, technological, physicochemical, sensory and microbiological aspects. A literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect using combinations of terms related to goat meat, ageing technologies, meat quality and microbial quality. Relevant studies were selected through title, abstract and full-text assessment. Evidence from goat meat was prioritized, while studies on sheep and beef were used as supplementary evidence when goat-specific information was limited. The reviewed evidence indicates that ageing can improve goat tenderness and flavor through post-mortem proteolysis and associated biochemical changes. Dry ageing generally promotes greater flavor development, whereas wet ageing offers advantages for moisture retention and yield. Dry ageing in bags represents a promising alternative by potentially combining sensory benefits with reduced losses. However, ageing responses vary according to muscle type, slaughter age, ageing time, temperatures and packaging system, while microbiological safety remains an important consideration. Overall, further research is needed to establish goat-specific ageing conditions and integrate microbiological, physicochemical, sensory, consumer, and economic assessments to support the development of safe, acceptable and commercially viable aged goat meat products.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183287

Authors: Lingwei Hu Yifan Dong Chunhong Hu Mingming Chen Jitao Li

Food quality and safety have become increasingly critical public health concerns, while traditional detection approaches are constrained by laborious sample preparation, lengthy analysis times, and destructive procedures. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has emerged as a rapid, non-destructive method that synergistically fuses spatial and spectral information for comprehensive food quality and safety assessment. However, the high dimensionality and nonlinear features of HSI data pose substantial challenges for traditional chemometric models. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithm-assisted HSI food quality and safety detection. We first introduce the fundamentals of HSI technology and its data processing workflow. We then present a comprehensive and non-mathematical introduction to typical ML and DL algorithms, highlighting their respective strengths and trade-offs. Then, we summarize typical applications across various areas, such as fruit and vegetable quality assessment, meat quality evaluation, egg and tea quality detection, moisture content quantification, variety and origin identification, adulteration and additive detection, heavy metal contamination assessment, mold detection, and plant growth monitoring. Finally, we discuss current challenges, such as data bottlenecks, limited model interpretability and generalizability, and barriers to practical applications, and outline future directions toward intelligent, systematic, and practical HSI systems for food quality and safety detection.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183286

Authors: Xuefeng Zhu Limin Cui Xianxian Luo Fanfan Lang Yu Zheng Zhiqiang Nie

The Daqu used in the alcoholic fermentation of Shanxi aged vinegar (SAV) is technologically related to the medium-temperature Daqu used for Baijiu production, but variation in vinegar Daqu quality can lead to unstable saccharification, alcoholic fermentation and aroma formation. We therefore hypothesized that functional microorganisms selected from Light-Flavor Baijiu Daqu could be combined with isolates from vinegar fermentation to improve the alcoholic fermentation stage of SAV, and that a defined consortium would provide a controllable system in which to test this hypothesis. Twenty culturable microorganisms were isolated from Daqu and Jiupei (fermented grains). Six were preselected on the basis of taxonomic identity, fermentation-related function and intended functional complementarity, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Ligilactobacillus amylovorus; their growth, stress tolerance, ethanol production and acid production were then characterized to assess their suitability for consortium construction. Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to profile the volatile compounds produced during fermentation of the resulting synthetic microbial consortium (SMC) in a liquid sorghum-juice medium and to compare them with those of industrial alcoholic fermentation (IAF) of fermented grains. All experiments used three independent biological replicates, and concentrations are reported as semi-quantitative 2-octanol equivalents. Several major volatile compounds accumulated earlier in the SMC than in the IAF system: ethanol (0.741 mg/mL) and ethyl acetate (0.331 mg/mL) both peaked on day 3, and the day-3 ethyl acetate concentration in the SMC already exceeded the maximum value reached in the IAF system on day 7 (0.238 mg/mL). The SMC nevertheless produced fewer volatile compounds (30) than the IAF system (45) and lacked long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters, whereas multivariate analysis indicated that its volatile profile became progressively more uniform during the mid-to-late fermentation stages. Because the two systems differ in substrate composition, physical structure and mass transfer, these findings should not be read as evidence that the SMC outperforms industrial solid-state fermentation. Within that constraint, the SMC reproduced selected metabolic features of SAV alcoholic fermentation in a liquid model system and reached maximum concentrations of several major volatile compounds earlier than the industrial system examined, offering a starting point for the rational design of defined starter consortia for traditional vinegar production.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183285

Authors: Tamara Edina Gal Orsolya Borsai Camelia Tulcan Roberta Maria Tripon Florin Adrian Huiban Ionuț Dascălu Alin Ionel Dobrei Olimpia Alina Iordănescu

Apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) are widely cultivated due to their storability, adaptability to diverse climatic conditions, versatility, and affordability. In addition to these agronomic advantages, apples are a significant dietary source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols, a major class of phytochemicals with several beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of peel and flesh of eighteen traditional old apple cultivars from the Banat region of Romania, evaluate their antioxidant activity, and characterize the colour parameters and individual phenolic profiles of two selected cultivars. The results showed considerable variation among cultivars, with ‘Caslere’ and ‘Măr de Jupani’ exhibiting the highest contents of bioactive compounds. Across the 18 cultivars, phenolic contents ranged from 218.17–1497.35 µg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry matter (DM) in the peel and 323.54–1111.65 µg GAE/g DM in the flesh, while flavonoid contents ranged from 1157.43–4796.05 and 1426.01–3697.16 µg rutin equivalents (RE)/g DM, respectively. Antioxidant activity ranged from 33.55–99.51% in the peel and 44.41–88.88% in the flesh, highlighting pronounced tissue-specific differences in bioactive compound distribution. Positive correlation was found between phenolic content and antioxidant activity. High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed cultivar-specific phenolic profiles, with rosmarinic acid and resveratrol among the predominant compounds, while epicatechin was particularly abundant in the peel of ‘Caslere’ cultivar. Colour analysis further demonstrated distinct differences between the two cultivars, reflecting variation in peel pigmentation and biochemical composition. These findings highlight the nutritional and functional value of traditional apple cultivars and support their conservation and valorization as valuable genetic resources and sources of health-promoting phytochemicals.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183284

Authors: Jimin Kim Seong Ae Lee Jaecheol Kim

Buckwheat contains rutin, a flavonoid, and fagopyrin F, a photosensitizer. This study compared household processing methods to determine how fagopyrin F content could be reduced while limiting rutin loss. Common and Tartary buckwheat (CB and TB) grains were processed using seven household methods: boiling, steaming, microwave heating, pan roasting, oven heating, deep frying, and air frying. Extractable phenolic and total flavonoid contents were determined colorimetrically; rutin and fagopyrin F were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. In CB, steaming and several dry-heating treatments increased the measured rutin content. In TB, microwave heating for 120 s, oven heating at 180 °C for 5 min, and air frying at 180 °C for 5 min maintained rutin at 95.7–105.9% of the control. All treatments reduced measured fagopyrin F content. The largest reductions occurred after medium-flame pan roasting, oven heating at 200 °C, deep frying at 190 °C, and air frying at 180–200 °C. Under corresponding processing conditions, the relative decrease in fagopyrin F was greater in CB than in TB. The rutin-to-fagopyrin F ratio increased under all calculable conditions. These results provide a basis for selecting processing conditions that reduce fagopyrin F with limited rutin loss.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183283

Authors: Yan Jing Yating He Zedan Liu Nanxin Hong Xiaolan Liu Jinyu Wang

In this study, corn protein hydrolysates (CPT) were prepared via enzymatic hydrolysis using Alcalase and Protamex, and then fractionated by ultrafiltration into three molecular weight components: >5 kDa (CPT1), 3–5 kDa (CPT2), and <3 kDa (CPT3). The physicochemical, functional and in vitro antioxidant properties of each component were systematically compared. Subsequently, glutamine peptides were isolated and identified from CPT3 using LC-MS/MS technology, and the structural characteristics of the identified peptides were further analyzed. The results showed that the ultrafiltration fractionation effectively enriched peptides with lower molecular weights from the enzymatically hydrolyzed products, which may potentially enhance their bioavailability. In addition, CPT3 exhibited superior foaming ability, emulsifying ability, dispersibility, and zeta potential, along with lower particle size and viscosity. Moreover, CPT3 exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with IC50 values for ABTS radical scavenging and hydroxyl radical scavenging of 0.042 ± 0.003 mg/mL and 0.807 ± 0.019 mg/mL, respectively. Finally, 205 glutamine peptides were further identified from CPT3, and their structural characterization revealed that the identified peptides were rich in hydrophobic amino acids and had a high affinity for membrane proteins, which could serve as potential ligands for regulating intestinal barrier dysfunction. In summary, CPT3 possesses excellent functional properties and antioxidant activity, indicating its potential for development and application in functional and health foods.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183282

Authors: Nour Elhouda Bouhlel Sana Azeiez Ahmed Gomaa Lazhar Zourgui Krista A. Power Wejdene Mansour Riadh Hammami

While legume flours can improve nutritional quality of gluten-free baked products, the influence of drying methods on precooked cranberry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) flour and its baking performance remain underexplored. This study compared oven-drying (OD) and freeze-drying (FD) effects on the physicochemical and nutritional properties of cranberry bean flour (CBF) and evaluated their impact on cupcake quality. Functional properties, proximate composition, mineral content, and total phenolic compounds of CBF, along with color, moisture content, texture, storage behavior, and sensory attributes of cupcakes were assessed. FD significantly increased water absorption capacity (3.44 ± 0.16 vs. 2.80 ± 0.02 g/g for OD; p = 0.02), oil absorption capacity (2.10 ± 0.13 vs. 0.98 ± 0.03 g/g; p = 0.003), and total phenolic content (1.23 ± 0.006 vs. 1.18 ± 0.008 mg GAE/g; p < 0.001), while producing a finer particle size (445 ± 86 vs. 1187 ± 210 nm; p = 0.02). OD retained significantly higher potassium, phosphorus, iron and zinc concentrations, whereas FD yielded a higher caloric value (401 ± 1.6 vs. 392 ± 0.9 Cal/100 g; p = 0.02). In cupcakes, FD flour produced significantly lighter crumb color than OD. Both bean-based cupcakes, prepared with an identical formulation, exhibited high moisture content (37.7–40.1%). Springiness was higher in OD cupcakes (14.5 ± 2.7 vs. 8.9 ± 1.7 mm; p = 0.023), while all other textural parameters were comparable. After 7-day storage, bean formulations retained over 27% moisture and showed comparable storage behavior. Sensory evaluation (n = 45) revealed that FD cupcakes had significantly lower bean flavor intensity (p = 0.017) and higher aroma liking (p = 0.0002) than OD cupcakes, suggesting improved consumer acceptability. Overall, freeze-dried CBF is a promising functional ingredient for developing nutritionally enhanced gluten-free cupcakes with favorable texture and sensory characteristics.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183281

Authors: Yucheng He Jun Liu Ran Ye Xiang Zheng Yuchun Rao Fang Wang

White tea is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant potential, but information on Zheng’an white tea remains limited. This study optimized water-based ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using single-factor experiments and a Box–Behnken design and evaluated the antioxidant activity of the resulting extract. Tea-leaf microstructure, polyphenolic composition, and antioxidant capacity were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), in vitro radical-scavenging assays, and a Caenorhabditis elegans model, respectively. The optimized conditions within the investigated experimental domain were a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:50 (g/mL), an ultrasonic time of 50 min, and an ultrasonic power of 118 W, yielding a total polyphenol content of 37.93 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g DW. SEM revealed marked disruption of tea-leaf cellular structures after UAE. LC–MS enabled the putative annotation of 25 representative polyphenols spanning phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, procyanidins, flavonols and their glycosides, and related derivatives. At 1.5 mg/mL, the extract exhibited ABTS and DPPH radical-scavenging rates of 81.68 ± 3.23% and 85.43 ± 2.31%, respectively. In C. elegans, 100 μg/mL extract increased catalase activity by 86.03% and decreased malondialdehyde content by 46.40% (p < 0.01). These findings show that the optimized aqueous UAE procedure recovered a polyphenol-rich extract with antioxidant activity in the tested chemical assays and C. elegans model.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183280

Authors: Sena Roberts Funda Elmacıoğlu Timur Hakan Barak

Despite the well-documented nutritional benefits of germinated pseudocereals, whether these benefits are preserved following bread incorporation remains unexplored. Bread incorporating germinated quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat at 15% and 30% substitution was evaluated alongside the germinated materials using rheological, chemical, and in vitro digestion simulation methods. Except for amaranth, all formulations demonstrated lower hardness than the whole wheat control. Overall, quinoa and buckwheat breads yielded acceptable rheological quality. Germinated buckwheat exhibited the highest protein content (33.38 g/100 g DW); however, the protein contribution in incorporated bread remained below theoretically expected values. Germinated quinoa (61.5%) showed the highest in vitro protein bioaccessibility, and protein digestibility decreased with increasing substitution levels. Despite the lowest quantitative protein contribution, buckwheat-incorporated bread exhibited the highest protein digestibility among all formulations. Furthermore, buckwheat showed the highest phenolic content (1988 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoid bioaccessibility (92.7%); however, these advantages were not reflected in the incorporated bread products. Germination-induced improvements do not necessarily translate into enhanced nutrient bioaccessibility in the final bread product. These findings are consistent with a critical role of the food matrix and suggest that germinated quinoa demonstrates the most consistent overall performance, while buckwheat shows advantages in protein digestibility and flavonoid bioaccessibility.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183279

Authors: Teresa Cepeda-Vidal João Tomé-Carneiro Alberto Valdés Nieves Rocío Colás-Ruiz Edwin Fernández-Cruz Isabel Espinosa-Salinas Pilar Matía-Martín Ana Barabash-Bustelo Angélica Larrad-Sainz Miguel Ángel Rubio-Herrera Alfonso Luis Calle-Pascual Alberto Cepeda-Sáez J. Alfredo Martínez

Dietary assessment is affected by recall, reporting, portion-size error, and food-composition inconsistencies. Hypaphorine, a tryptophan-derived betaine alkaloid found in pulses and other foods, has been proposed as a marker of legume exposure, but its performance in free-living populations remains uncertain. In this cross-sectional study of 138 adults, dietary intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire, and legume intake was represented by an FFQ-derived variable within the EAT-Lancet food-group framework. Urinary hypaphorine was quantified by targeted hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Associations were examined using Spearman correlations and multivariable linear models with HC3 robust standard errors. Predictive performance was assessed using repeated 10-fold cross-validation. Hypaphorine correlated with legume intake (ρ = 0.240; p = 0.0047). After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, energy intake, and log10-transformed urinary creatinine signal, each 10 g/day increment in legume intake was associated with 19.1% higher hypaphorine (95% CI, 7.2–32.2%; p = 0.0014). Estimation of the FFQ-derived legume-intake variable was limited (cross-validated R2 = 0.061), whereas discrimination between intake above and at or below the sample median was modest (AUC = 0.653). In the exploratory clinical screen, the inverse correlation with leukocyte count did not remain below the 0.05 FDR threshold (q = 0.090). A focused adjusted model yielded an inverse association (β = −1.38 × 103/µL; p = 0.030), but exclusion of the most influential observation attenuated statistical support (p = 0.061). Urinary hypaphorine may provide modest information for ranking FFQ-derived legume exposure but should not be considered a quantitative measure of individual intake without further validation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183278

Authors: Chao Wu Shijia Li Xue Bai Xiaojing Kang Ran Wang Mingkun Liu Beibei Dou Yang Liu Han Chen

In this study, zein–curdlan (CU) composite nanoparticles were fabricated via an anti-solvent precipitation method. The effects of preparation parameters, including the mass ratio, reaction pH, and temperature, on the physicochemical properties and emulsifying attributes of the composite particles were systematically investigated. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed changes in the local molecular environment and molecular organization following zein–CU association, while particle size, zeta potential, and surface hydrophobicity measurements further demonstrated fabrication-dependent changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the composite particles. As the CU ratio increased, the zeta potential decreased to −25.5 mV, accompanied by a reduction in surface hydrophobicity, suggesting a more hydrophilic CU-associated particle surface. At pH 8, the particles showed the smallest size among the pH series (244.6 nm), which may be related to enhanced zein deprotonation and interparticle electrostatic repulsion under the tested conditions. A preparation temperature of 40 °C produced the smallest particles and the most favorable emulsifying properties among the temperatures examined. Overall, this work provides evidence for the formation and emulsifying performance of zein/CU composite particles, broadening the application of plant protein–polysaccharide complexes in food-grade Pickering emulsion systems.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183277

Authors: Shanzeb Waseem Muhammad Sohaib Haroon Jamshaid Qazi Mateen Abbas

Honey is one of the most frequently adulterated food products owing to its higher commercial value and increased consumer demand. Its adulteration with inexpensive sugar syrups is a major challenge affecting honey authenticity and is resulting in decreased consumer confidence in the honey supply chain. The present study evaluated the capability of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy coupled with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR–ATR) and chemometric modeling to detect, classify, and quantify major sugar-based adulterants, namely fructose, glucose, invert sugar, jaggery syrup, maltose, and sucrose in honey samples. For the study, multifloral honey samples were experimentally adulterated with each adulterant @ 1, 5, 10, and 20% (w/w), and FTIR spectra were collected in the 650–4000 cm−1 region and carbohydrate fingerprint region (1500–750 cm−1) was used for multivariate analysis. Results indicated principal component analysis differentiated pure and adulterated honey samples with concentration-dependent clustering patterns while PLSR demonstrated excellent predictive performance. The calibration R2 values ranged from 0.9656 to 1.0000, whereas replicate-level hold-out evaluation gave R2 values of 0.9270–0.9999 with standard errors of prediction of 0.1342–2.0250%. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) gave an overall sample-level classification accuracy of 92.0% in calibration and 88.0% in the hold-out dataset, with macro-averaged class accuracies of 97.71% and 96.57%, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of FTIR–ATR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric modeling as a rapid, non-destructive, reliable, and cost-effective alternative for routine honey authenticity testing, making it a valuable tool for quality control laboratories, regulatory agencies, and the honey industry.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183276

Authors: Qingfeng Guo Jinhai Luo Xia Zhang Hao Zhang Meiru Chen Man Liu Zhenhua Yin Juanjuan Zhang Baocheng Yang Li Wang Baojun Xu Lin Chen

Obesity is a prevalent metabolic disorder characterized by excessive lipid accumulation. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effects and underlying mechanisms of two triterpenoid saponin-rich extracts, designated disaccharide saponin-rich extract (DTS) and trisaccharide/tetrasaccharide saponin-rich extract (TTS), prepared from adzuki bean (Vigna angularis). In vitro, both DTS and TTS extracts significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without cytotoxicity, with TTS reducing lipid droplets to 21.45% of the model group at 200 μg/mL. In vivo, C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat–high-cholesterol diet (HFD) for 12 weeks and orally administrated with DTS or TTS (30, 60, or 120 mg/kg/day) via gavage; the results showed marked reductions in body weight gain (up to 20.37%), fat mass, liver coefficient, and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), while elevating high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Mechanistically, transcriptomics and Western blot analyses revealed that both extracts were associated with upregulation of the PPARα-ACOX1 axis, consistent with enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation, and downregulation of the PPARγ-FABP4 pathway, consistent with reduced adipogenesis, suggesting a dual shift toward lipid catabolism and away from lipid synthesis. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that both saponin extracts reversed HFD-induced gut dysbiosis by restoring α-diversity and orchestrating distinct genus-level modulations, specifically suppressing obesity-associated pathobionts (Faecalibaculum and Ileibacterium) while concurrently enriching beneficial commensals (Bifidobacterium). Notably, TTS at 120 mg/kg reduced body weight gain to a greater extent than the positive control orlistat (p < 0.05, Tukey’s HSD), with comparable improvements in serum lipid profiles and liver function parameters. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that adzuki bean saponin extracts exert anti-obesity effects in HFD-fed mice and are associated with multi-target changes involving the “liver–adipose–gut axis,” supporting their further evaluation as candidate as functional food ingredients for metabolic health.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183275

Authors: Hailin Tong Jingxin Li Yanqiu Jing Binqiang Tian Dongsheng Luo

Volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) are major determinants of sensory quality in fermented foods. In lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-containing systems, their formation reflects precursor metabolism, strain-specific metabolic capacity, environmental and community regulation, and non-enzymatic chemistry. This review develops an integrated precursor–pool–flux framework for LAB-associated VFC formation. Carbohydrate/citrate-, protein/amino-acid-, and lipid-related routes provide the principal precursor inputs, which intersect to different extents at three functional metabolite pools centered on α-keto acids, acetyl-CoA-related metabolites, and C4–C5 TCA intermediates. These pools are treated as operational convergence and redistribution nodes rather than new biochemical classifications. Genetic capacity, intracellular regulation, cultivation conditions, and interspecies interactions modify precursor supply and flux partitioning, thereby altering quantitative VFC output. Biological–non-enzymatic coupling is considered where processing changes precursor accessibility, fermentation-derived substrates undergo subsequent chemical transformation, or biological and chemical reactions proceed concurrently. Comprehensive volatile profiling defines the resulting chemical phenotype, whereas molecular sensory and flavoromics identify aroma-active endpoints. This framework provides a mechanistic basis for interpreting LAB-associated VFC formation and guiding strain and process selection toward targeted aroma regulation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183274

Authors: Gina Songor Miguel Anchundia

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the leading foodborne pathogens and an increasing public health concern because of the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the prevalence and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles of L. monocytogenes in animal-derived foods. The review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines through systematic searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Of the 711 records identified, 11 studies met the eligibility criteria. The included studies reported the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, and ready-to-eat foods. The reported prevalence ranged from 0.1% to 60.0% across food matrices; however, the highest estimate (60.0%) was derived from a single ready-to-eat food study with a small sample size (9 positive samples among 15 analyzed) and should therefore be interpreted cautiously. Phenotypic resistance was most frequently reported to specific β-lactams, particularly penicillin, oxacillin, cloxacillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and piperacillin, as well as to tetracyclines. In contrast, several studies reported preserved susceptibility to ampicillin and amoxicillin, indicating substantial variability in resistance within the β-lactam class across the included studies. This scoping review provides an updated synthesis of the available evidence on the prevalence and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles of L. monocytogenes in animal-derived foods and summarizes the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance patterns reported across the included food matrices.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183273

Authors: Weihao Wang Zhidan Jiang Sisi Yang Zhou Qin Yongqiang Shi Yaodi Zhu Zhiyuan Sun

Food quality and safety inspection increasingly requires advanced solutions because conventional methods are challenged by the complexity of modern food systems. Effective inspection must address product quality, authenticity, and safety, together with process-related risks arising during production, storage, transportation, and distribution. However, existing analytical approaches and deep learning studies often focus on individual food attributes or sensing modalities, providing limited guidance for selecting appropriate models and sensing strategies for specific inspection objectives. This review systematically compares CNNs, RNNs/LSTMs, Transformers, GNNs, GANs, and hybrid architectures, as well as transfer learning, self-supervised learning, contrastive learning, few-shot learning, lightweight networks, edge computing, and multimodal fusion. Beyond predictive performance, we evaluate dataset size and representativeness, sample- and batch-level validation, external validation, data-leakage risks, interpretability, computational requirements, and the maturity of food-specific evidence. The principal contribution is an application-oriented framework linking inspection objectives and food matrices with sensing modalities, model architectures, validation evidence, and deployment conditions. Although Transformer-, GNN-, GAN-, multimodal-, and few-shot-learning-based approaches show substantial potential, many remain at developing, emerging, or prototype stages in food-specific applications. For high-risk targets, including toxicants, allergens, adulterants, and foodborne pathogens, deep learning systems should primarily support rapid screening and decision-making, while safety-critical results require confirmation using validated reference methods. Overall, this review provides a systematic perspective on deep learning for food quality and safety inspection and identifies key priorities for future research and industrial deployment.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183272

Authors: Jiaqi Huang Xiaofeng Chen Han Zhang Shixin Huang Ling Wang Zhiwen Wu Peng Wu Xu Tang

Lactic acid bacterial fermentation offers a mild strategy for tailoring seaweed-derived carbohydrate fractions and strengthening their functional properties. In this study, polysaccharide-rich fractions were recovered from unfermented Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (GP) and from biomass fermented with two marine-derived lactic acid bacteria, Lacticaseibacillus casei DS31 (GP-D) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HJ-S2 (GP-H). Fermentation changed the recovery of total and sulfated carbohydrates and altered monosaccharide profiles. In wild-type N2 worms, GP, GP-D, and GP-H extended mean lifespan by 8.61%, 14.70%, and 21.21%, respectively, and improved heat and oxidative stress survival (median survival +44% and +20% for GP-H, respectively), locomotion, redox homeostasis (SOD activity +19.5%, MDA content −73.4% for GP-H), and proteostasis-related phenotypes. Promoter–reporter assays, DAF-16::GFP localization, and transcriptomic profiling identified distinct treatment-associated stress-response programs. Lifespan extension also persisted in a daf-16 loss-of-function background, supporting contributions from complementary longevity networks. Collectively, strain-dependent fermentation reshaped G. lemaneiformis polysaccharide-rich fractions and enhanced their in vivo bioactivity, with GP-H producing the broadest improvement across the measured lifespan and healthspan endpoints.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183271

Authors: Noor Akhras Hüseyin Bozkurt Abuzer Çelekli

The growing interest in functional foods, such as kefir, has encouraged the investigation of green-synthesized nanoparticles as bioactive ingredients. This study investigated green-synthesized Artemisia absinthium L.-derived zinc oxide nanoparticles (Artemisia-ZnO NPs) incorporated into kefir at 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% (w/w), with plain kefir and 0.25% chemically synthesized ZnO NPs as comparison formulations. Microbiological, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties were evaluated during 28 days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. Structural characteristics of kefir samples were assessed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), particle size distribution analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Sensory properties were evaluated at the end of storage using a nine-point hedonic scale. Artemisia-ZnO NPs significantly affected the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of kefir (p < 0.05). The 0.25% Artemisia-ZnO NP formulation exhibited higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity than plain kefir and 0.25% chemically synthesized ZnO NPs. This higher DPPH activity may reflect the combined effects of the Artemisia-ZnO NP system and the kefir matrix; however, the specific contribution of Artemisia-derived phytochemicals could not be established because their concentrations were not quantified in the final kefir, and differences in sample pH may also have influenced the DPPH response. Sensory evaluation showed that plain kefir received the highest scores, while higher Artemisia-ZnO NP concentrations reduced flavor and overall acceptability. Overall, the 0.25% Artemisia-ZnO NP formulation provided the most favorable balance of probiotic viability, physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability. However, further studies are required to evaluate zinc exposure, bioavailability, in vivo safety, and thujone content before its suitability as a functional ingredient can be established.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183270

Authors: Yani Zhao Qiongya Lu Jinlan Tu Zhouyuan Zhao Bin Zou

The detection of phenolic antioxidants in food is essential for ensuring food safety. Chromatographic analysis, spectroscopic analysis, and electrochemical detection are three mainstream techniques widely applied for qualitative and quantitative analysis of antioxidants in complex matrices. However, existing reviews mostly focus on single techniques, lack systematic cross-platform comparisons. This paper reviews the classification of phenolic antioxidants, summarizes recent advances in each detection technique, and provides a horizontal comparison in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, analytical efficiency, cost, and applicable scenarios. Chromatography remains the gold standard for confirmatory analysis, spectroscopy is suitable for rapid screening, and electrochemistry shows unique potential for on-site real-time monitoring. Each technique has distinct advantages and limitations, and their integration represents a promising direction for comprehensive food safety monitoring. Future development trends, including intelligence, portability, and multi-technique integration, are also discussed to guide practical method selection for food-safety detection.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183269

Authors: Yong Zhou Shiyi Chen Yan Jiang Afira Nayab Ling Sun

Gellan gum (GG) is an anionic microbial polysaccharide widely used in foods because of its efficient gelation, thermal stability, and ion-responsive structuring. However, the contrasting limitations of high- and low-acyl GG, together with their sensitivity to molecular weight, ions, pH, thermal history, and food-matrix composition, restrict their performance in complex products. This review distinguishes four intervention levels of GG modification and structural regulation: covalent modification, chain-architecture regulation, supramolecular regulation, and food-matrix composite structuring. These modifications and structural regulations alter chain properties, helix association, junction-zone formation, interfacial organization, and phase connectivity, thereby affecting gelation, texture, water retention, emulsion stability, processability, and release behavior. Food applications are evaluated through their structure–function relationships across diverse food systems. Particular attention is given to gastrointestinal disassembly, nutrient digestion, bioactive release, and colonic fermentation. Current evidence strongly supports the role of GG structural regulation in food texture and physical stability, whereas evidence for digestive modulation and physiological effects remains limited and is largely based on formulation-specific in vitro studies. Overall, this review provides a structure-guided framework for application-specific selection of GG intervention strategies.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183268

Authors: Meryem Aparı Kubra Feyza Erol Gozde Kutlu

This study aimed to develop a spray-dried tahini-based powder enriched with pea protein and coconut milk powder and to comprehensively characterize its plant bioactive composition, antioxidant potential, nutritional properties, and bioaccessibility following the standardized INFOGEST in vitro static gastrointestinal digestion protocol. A stable oil-in-water emulsion containing tahini (50%), pea protein (30%), and coconut milk powder (20%) was prepared by microfluidization and converted into powder by spray drying. The resulting powder exhibited considerable total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, together with distinct amino acid and fatty acid profiles. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion significantly altered the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity, while several key bioactive compounds showed measurable in vitro bioaccessibility in the intestinal fraction. The formulation also contained high levels of protein (52.69%), lipid (26.42%), and dietary fiber (8.28%) with low moisture (2.28%). Phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were the predominant minerals, whereas oleic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids. Overall, the developed spray-dried tahini-based powder represents a nutritionally valuable plant-derived functional ingredient combining antioxidant potential with the bioaccessibility of essential nutrients.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183267

Authors: Shenghong Yao Wanlu Liu Yumei Wang Jiulong An Chengfeng Zhang Matthew Flavel Yanv Zhou Lu Li He Li

This study systematically explored the inhibitory mechanisms against sucrase exerted by sugarcane molasses polyphenol extract (SMPE) and its three principal chlorogenic acid analogs: neochlorogenic acid (NA), chlorogenic acid (CA), and methyl chlorogenate (MC). By integrating in vitro assays, molecular simulations, and spectroscopic analyses, we demonstrated synergistic inhibition among the components. SMPE exhibited the greatest inhibitory potency (IC50 = 3.58 ± 0.16 mg/mL), with an IC50 significantly lower than those of the individual compounds. Synergy analysis indicated marked synergistic effects for both the CA-NA pair and the ternary mixture. Simultaneous multi-ligand docking further suggested complementary co-binding configurations and interactions with residues surrounding the catalytic region, providing a possible structural interpretation of the experimentally observed synergistic effects. Mechanistically, CA and NA exhibited competitive inhibition, whereas MC and SMPE showed mixed-type inhibition; fluorescence, CD, and thermal stability analyses revealed compound-dependent changes in aromatic residue microenvironments, secondary structure, and protein stability, while molecular modeling predicted peripheral binding of CA/NA and catalytic-region interactions of MC, suggesting distinct but complementary routes for perturbing substrate recognition and catalysis. This study provides mechanistic insight into the synergistic inhibition of sucrase by SMPE and supports its potential development as a natural agent for modulating postprandial glycemia.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183265

Authors: Wang Li Dongze Chi Xingmin Hu Yuan Liu Zhan Li You Li Yueting Dai Yu Li

Obesity–depression comorbidity involves interconnected metabolic dysfunction, chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, neuroendocrine dysregulation, gut microbial dysbiosis, and impaired gut–brain communication. Edible and medicinal mushrooms provide nutrients and diverse bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, terpenoids, nucleosides, sterols, peptides, and phenolic compounds. This narrative review integrates evidence on representative mushroom species, cultivation and fermentation factors affecting their composition, major bioactive compounds and biosynthetic pathways, gut–brain axis-related mechanisms, and opportunities for functional food development. Evidence derived predominantly from in vitro and animal studies suggests that mushroom-derived bioactive compounds may modulate gut microbial composition, intestinal barrier integrity, inflammatory and oxidative pathways, lipid and glucose metabolism, and neuroendocrine signaling. An exploratory database-based analysis further mapped predicted candidate molecular targets associated with inflammatory, metabolic, and neural processes. From a food science perspective, the compositional diversity of mushrooms and their compatibility with cultivation, fermentation, extraction, and formulation provide opportunities for developing conventional foods, functional foods, nutraceuticals, and standardized products. Overall, edible and medicinal mushrooms show promise as food and nutraceutical resources, but their translation into evidence-based functional products requires improved standardization, safety and bioavailability assessments, and well-designed human trials.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183266

Authors: Giulia Mozzo Cosimo Taiti Maria Alfonsi Giovanni Spinelli Diego Comparini Bruno Bighignoli Marta Beccaluva Stefano Mancuso Elisa Masi

Finger lime (Citrus australasica) is an Australian native citrus valued as a “citrus caviar” in high-end gastronomy, and its cultivation is expanding in the Mediterranean region. Comparative quality data for different genotypes grown under Italian conditions are still scarce. This study characterised two finger lime cultivars, ‘Pink Ice’ (FPI) and ‘Rainforest Pearl’ (FRF), and the trigeneric hybrid Faustrime (FAU), cultivated in Central Italy and harvested at commercial maturity, through an integrated assessment of morphometric, physicochemical, histochemical and sensory traits. The three accessions were clearly differentiated. Faustrime produced the largest and heaviest fruits and the largest juice vesicles, whereas Rainforest Pearl fruit was the smallest. All accessions showed high titratable acidity (8.93–11.56% citric acid) and low sugar content, with Rainforest Pearl reaching the highest sugar concentrations. Pink Ice presented the highest total phenolic content in the directly consumed pulp (919.09 mg GAE/kg FW), while Rainforest Pearl showed the greatest accumulation of terpenoids in the peel, revealed by Nadi histochemical staining and confocal microscopy. Volatile compounds, profiled by PTR-ToF-MS, and sensory evaluation further separated the accessions, with Faustrime marked by a pronounced citronella aroma. These findings provide a quality baseline for cultivation of finger lime and Faustrime in a Mediterranean region during the 2024 season, and support genotype-specific market positioning according to sensory, nutritional and aromatic characteristics.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183264

Authors: Yaling Yang Lijin Wang Feng Zhu Huanlu Song Yanbo Wang

To optimize the steaming process parameters for perch fish and improve its flavor quality, this study systematically compared dual-stage steaming (low–high temperature and high–low temperature) and residual-heat steaming (dual-stage steaming followed by heat retention) with traditional single-stage steaming. Dual-stage steaming (especially 80 °C → 100 °C) produced significant treatment effects in texture and umami-related measures, while several volatile aroma compounds showed significant treatment effects (p < 0.05) and had higher measured concentrations under residual-heat steaming. Comparing dual-stage steaming modes (80 °C → 100 °C and 100 °C → 80 °C), the overall quality of perch fish was better when its core temperature underwent the main heating phase in the high-temperature stage. PCA comprehensive evaluation assigned the highest descriptive score (0.52) to DS 100(55)-80(75)-RH after considering texture, taste, and aroma characteristics; this ranking was not an inferential significance test. These laboratory-scale findings provide a basis for further optimization of steaming conditions for perch fish, but larger-scale validation is required before practical implementation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183263

Authors: Lin Cheng Yangyang Lu Yi Shao Wei Song

Food freshness is critical to ensuring food safety, minimizing food waste, and improving industrial efficiency. Traditional sensory evaluation and laboratory-based detection methods suffer from inherent limitations, including strong subjectivity, time-consuming procedures, and destructive sampling, which make it difficult to meet the requirements of modern supply chains for rapid, non-destructive, and real-time monitoring. This review comprehensively summarizes the mainstream research directions and recent advances in food freshness monitoring technologies across three complementary directions: (1) biomimetic or instrumental systems based on digital identification of food odors, tastes, and appearance characteristics, including electronic noses, electronic tongues, and machine vision technology; (2) biosensor-based technologies for ultrasensitive recognition of specific biomolecules (metabolites, proteins, and nucleic acids); (3) spectroscopic and imaging techniques for “fingerprint” capture and quantitative analysis of internal components. In addition, the preparation principles, instrumentation, and applications are stated in each section, along with critical performance aspects such as stability and anti-interference capability in complex matrices. We hope this review can provide a comprehensive understanding of sustainable and real-time food quality control for the advancement of food freshness assessment.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183262

Authors: Monika M. Ziomek Zbigniew Bełkot Iga Szostak Francesca Pedonese Katarzyna Michalak Zuzanna J. Strzałkowska Łukasz Drozd Joanna Pławińska-Czarnak

Campylobacter spp. are important foodborne pathogens, but data on their occurrence in common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) and their distribution between intestinal and edible tissue samples remain limited. This study aimed to compare the culture-based occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in farmed and free-ranging pheasants from eastern Poland and to identify the recovered isolates by multiplex PCR and MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 154 pheasants were examined, including 71 farmed and 83 free-ranging birds. Cloacal swabs, caecal contents, liver tissue, and pectoral muscle samples were collected from each bird, giving 616 samples in total. PCR-confirmed Campylobacter isolates were recovered from 20/71 farmed pheasants (28.2%) and from none of the 83 free-ranging pheasants (p < 0.001). Among farmed birds, isolates were recovered from 16/71 cloacal swabs (22.5%), 7/71 liver samples (9.9%), and 5/71 pectoral muscle samples (7.0%); no isolates were obtained from caecal contents. Of 28 isolates, 23 (82.1%) were identified as C. jejuni and 5 (17.9%) as C. coli. MALDI-TOF MS species assignments were concordant with multiplex PCR for all isolates. Under the sampling periods and conditions examined, viable Campylobacter was recovered from farmed pheasants, including liver and pectoral muscle samples, whereas no confirmed isolates were obtained from the sampled free-ranging pheasants. Because the two groups differed in sampling period, age and sex structure, and geographical origin, the observed difference cannot be attributed exclusively to husbandry status.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183261

Authors: Ricardo Mir María Dolores García-Martínez Monica Boscaiu Oscar Vicente Jaime Prohens María Dolores Raigón-Jiménez

Increasing soil salinisation challenges food production, since most crops are highly sensitive to salinity. The identification of wild halophytes adapted to saline environments with nutritional value represents a promising strategy for food production on salt-affected farmlands. Assessing the nutritional potential of such species requires evaluating their proximate composition, mineral profile, and antioxidant properties. In parallel, citizen-science approaches complement and enhance scientific research by actively engaging potential final consumers in the research process, thereby improving the societal relevance, dissemination, and potential impact of scientific findings. In this study, we characterised the nutritional profile of the facultative halophyte Cakile maritima and found it to be comparable, and in some respects superior, to that of other conventional leafy vegetables, particularly regarding its mineral composition and bioactive compounds. Moreover, similar though not identical nutritional characteristics were observed in two C. maritima leaf morphotypes analysed, since differences in dry matter, ashes, total proteins and carbohydrates were identified. Interestingly, vitamin C accumulation was organ- and morphotype-dependent. Finally, the biochemical characterisation was complemented with an online survey that showed a clear predisposition of consumers towards the incorporation of wild edible plants into their diet, together with a sensory evaluation in which 32 participants assessed the acceptability of up to 11 dishes prepared using C. maritima. Sensory evaluation revealed a prominent bitter flavour amongst dishes containing C. maritima, with weighted scores for negative perceptions slightly exceeding those for positive ones, suggesting that its sensory profile may limit its acceptance by the general public while offering potential for specific consumer segments. Overall, our findings highlight the nutritional potential of C. maritima and support its valorisation as a sustainable species for saline agriculture.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183260

Authors: Tomas Tapia-Muñoz Martina Tapia-Aranda Ronald Nelson Arnoldo Vizcarra Cristofer Gaete-Collao Mariña Castroagudín Erico R. Carmona Aliro Villacorta Lucas Patricio Hernández-Saravia

Developing sustainable paradigms for nanomaterial synthesis is essential to reduce the environmental impact of conventional chemical routes. Herein, we report a green, phytochemically mediated synthesis of MnFe2O4NPs using aqueous grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) peel extracts. The bioflavonoid and polyphenolic constituents functioned as dual-functional biogenic reducing and stabilizing agents. FTIR analysis verified spinel lattice metal–oxygen bonds and surface-bound biogenic groups, while SEM imaging revealed the surface morphology and structural aggregation of the nanoparticles. Once integrated into an electroanalytical platform (MnFe2O4NPs/GCE), the modified interface exhibited robust electrocatalytic activity toward sulfite oxidation in an acetate buffer (pH = 4.0). Mixed-valence dynamics (Mn2+/Mn3+ and Fe2+/Fe3+) significantly amplified anodic currents and lowered the kinetic overpotential. Under optimized chronoamperometric conditions, the sensor demonstrated a wide linear range (1–100 μM, r = 0.999), a low detection limit (LOD = 0.045 μM), a limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.136 μM) and excellent selectivity against co-existing ionic and organic interferents. This study provides a simple, eco-friendly, and technically robust strategy for fabricating high-performance electrochemical platforms for food and environmental monitoring.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183258

Authors: Xiangling You Tianyang Wang Haibin Yuan Wanting Tang Huachang Wu Xiangbo Xu

Ripening time is a major determinant of quality and flavor formation in traditional Sichuan fermented Jiangrou (JR). However, the changes in physicochemical properties, flavor compounds, and bacterial communities during JR ripening remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the dynamic changes in physicochemical properties, flavor-related compounds, and bacterial communities during JR ripening and to identify potential markers associated with different ripening stages. JR samples collected at eight ripening stages (0–35 days) were characterized using physicochemical measurements, electronic tongue analysis, free amino acid profiling, GC-MS, and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The data were further analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis and interpretable machine learning. The results indicated that moisture content decreased from 74.60 to 45.87 g/100 g, whereas salt content increased to 3.67 g/100 g. Lipid oxidation progressively intensified, while superoxide dismutase activity and total free amino acids reached their highest levels around day 25. Total free amino acids increased from 31.85 to 313.98 mg/100 g before declining during late ripening. These temporal patterns suggest that days 20–25 represent a transition period under the conditions tested. Electronic tongue and volatile-profile analyses revealed pronounced stage-dependent changes in taste and aroma. Aldehydes accumulated prominently at day 25, whereas esters became predominant during late ripening. An XGBoost model built with aroma-active compounds correctly classified all samples in the current dataset. SHAP analysis identified heptanal, octanal, ethanol, methyl pentanoate, and 2-methylbutanal as the most influential candidate markers for differentiating ripening stages. Firmicutes remained the dominant bacterial phylum. At the genus level, the community shifted from the initial predominance of Brochothrix toward enrichment of Staphylococcus and Macrococcus. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that dehydration, salt accumulation, and lipid oxidation were associated with the dominant species and various volatile aldehydes, esters, and alcohols. Overall, these findings clarify the multidimensional succession of quality and flavor during JR ripening and provide a basis for monitoring the critical ripening period and standardizing production.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183259

Authors: Meng Li Jia Wan Wenxuan Guan Bo Liu Xinda Xu Qiancheng Zhao Xinru Fan

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) processing by-products represent an underutilized resource with considerable potential for value-added applications. To evaluate the nutritional profile and investigate the effects of different starches (native and modified) on the gel properties of the pink salmon by-products, the proximate composition, amino acid profile, and fatty acid profiles of the by-products were analysed, followed by assessments of the gel texture, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, color, microstructure, and in vitro digestibility. The results demonstrated that the by-product meat possessed a high protein content and was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), with an essential amino acid-to-total amino acid (EAA/TAA) ratio of 45.82% and an n-3/n-6 ratio of 1.34, indicating favourable nutritional quality for human consumption. Although the by-product meat alone formed a relatively soft gel, the incorporation of starch markedly improved its gel properties. Among the evaluated starches, tapioca hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDP) produced the greatest improvements in texture profiles and water-holding capacity while reducing cooking loss and promoting the formation of a denser and more uniform gel microstructure. Furthermore, HDP significantly enhanced the dry matter digestibility of the starch-modified gels prepared from pink salmon by-product meat. These findings demonstrate that pink salmon by-product meat can serve as a promising material for producing nutritional functional food and that HDP is an effective additive for improving both gel quality and digestibility, thereby supporting the sustainable valorization of fishery processing byproducts.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183257

Authors: Manpreet Kaur Md Zakir Hossain Peter Shep Alexander Gregory Rachel M. Cole Dong-Fang Deng Sheryl Barringer

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is a high-value aquaculture species, but variation in fillet nutritional composition and off-odor formation can limit product quality. This study evaluated how diets with plant-based antioxidants, rearing environment, use of heat shock, post-harvest processing, and fish weight affected off-odor volatile formation, lipid content, fatty acid profile, antioxidant activity, and vitamin E content in yellow perch fillets. Fish were fed camu camu, wheat flour, mixed starch, or commercial diets for 9 weeks, harvested with or without heat shock, and analyzed after frozen and refrigerated storage or baking. Volatiles were measured by selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry, while lipid content, antioxidant activity, vitamin E, and fatty acid profile were evaluated to characterize fillet composition and oxidative stability. Under standard harvest conditions, camu camu– and wheat-fed fish generally showed lower concentrations of lipid oxidation– and protein degradation–derived volatiles than mixed starch- and commercial-fed fish, especially after refrigerated storage or baking. These volatile differences were supported by differences in fillet composition and antioxidant status, with camu camu–fed fish showing the highest lipid content, while camu camu– and wheat-fed fish showed higher antioxidant activity than mixed starch-fed fish. Fatty acid profiling provided additional information on lipid composition and its potential relationship with lipid oxidation–derived off-odor formation. Heat shock increased volatile formation and reduced diet-dependent differences in the volatile profile. Heat shock also increased antioxidant activity across diets, eliminating diet-related differences in antioxidant activity. Rearing water systems and fish weight had limited effects on the volatile profile. These findings show that plant-based antioxidant diets can influence both nutritional quality and off-odor stability in yellow perch, particularly when combined with low-stress harvest and appropriate post-harvest handling.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183256

Authors: Ana-Maria Plotuna Ionela Hotea Kalman Imre Viorel Herman Ileana Nichita Ionela Popa Mihai Pop Emil Tîrziu

Donkey milk contains bioactive components with immunomodulatory potential, but preservation technologies must retain these effects to support its use as a functional food ingredient. This study investigated whether spray drying preserves the in vivo biological functionality of donkey milk. Forty-five female Pannon White rabbits subjected to a standardized vaccine-induced immune challenge were randomly allocated to three groups: one Control group and two groups receiving raw or reconstituted spray-dried donkey milk (2 mL/day; n = 15/group) for four weeks. Serum lysozyme and total immunoglobulins were monitored longitudinally, while biochemical, hematological, and integrated multivariate profiles were assessed. Lysozyme increased progressively in both supplemented groups, reaching 29.4% and 33.1% above baseline with raw and spray-dried milk, respectively; cumulative responses were statistically equivalent. Total immunoglobulins recovered earlier after both treatments, reaching 31.31 and 28.92 mg/mL, respectively, versus 23.04 mg/mL in Control; their mean response profiles were closely aligned, although inter-individual variability reduced the precision of the equivalence assessment. Biochemical and hematological assessments revealed no coordinated adverse response to either milk preparation. Moreover, the integrated immune, biochemical, and hematological profiles showed strong concordance between Raw and Spray. Overall, spray-dried donkey milk retained the principal biological responses elicited by raw milk, supporting its potential development as a stable bioactive dairy ingredient.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183255

Authors: Hadeel Edkaidek Divakar Dahiya Poonam Singh Nigam

Plant-based foods have emerged as an important choice for many consumers. Although foods formulated from plant-derived raw materials and ingredients can contribute to more sustainable food systems, their broader consumer acceptance continues to be constrained by suboptimal flavour quality compared with products prepared using animal-derived ingredients. While considerable research has focused on improving the texture, nutritional value, and processing of plant-based foods, recreating the savoury depth characteristic of animal-derived foods remains a persistent challenge. Edible mushroom by-products have attracted increasing attention as sustainable sources of flavour-enhancing compounds; however, their functionality cannot be explained solely by the presence of glutamate or other individual constituents. Rather, their sensory effects arise from coordinated interactions among umami-active molecules, receptor-mediated taste mechanisms, food matrix properties, and human perception. This review examines the potential of edible mushroom by-products as natural flavour-enhancing ingredients for plant-based foods. It also reviews evidence on flavour-active composition, the molecular basis of umami perception, glutamate–5′-nucleotide synergism, formulation strategies, sensory evaluation, consumer acceptance, and industrial translation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183254

Authors: Zhenyu Yuan Xiaoyu Cao Qianqian Xu Kun Lin Xinyue Du Hai Yan

Hyperuricemia (HUA) and gout are primarily caused by excessive uric acid production resulting from the catabolism of purine nucleosides, notably inosine and guanosine. In this study, a candidate probiotic strain capable of biodegrading nucleosides (both inosine and guanosine) was successfully isolated from Jiaosu and identified as Heyndrickxia coagulans NJ01 by average nucleotide identity analysis. In vitro assays showed 100% biodegradation of 1.0 g/L of both inosine and guanosine by NJ01 cells and its cell-free extracts within 24 h. HPLC and genomic analyses confirmed that inosine and guanosine were biodegraded by purine-nucleoside phosphorylase into hypoxanthine and guanine, which are terminal metabolites not further degradable by the strain, and the key gene was confirmed by PCR. Furthermore, evaluation of the probiotic properties and safety of NJ01 at both genotypic and phenotypic levels confirmed that this strain is a promising probiotic candidate for further in vivo validation. This study provides a crucial foundation for the potential application of H. coagulans NJ01, a strain capable of biodegrading uric acid precursors, in the development of functional foods for HUA management.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183253

Authors: Drajat Martianto Azis Boing Sitanggang Jonathan Louis Gorstein Nina Sardjunani Roza Kartika Elsa Fajriah Milatul Mustaqimah

Micronutrient deficiencies remain a major public health challenge in Indonesia, and mandatory food fortification has been implemented to improve population micronutrient intake. However, the potential reach of fortification vehicles depends not only on regulatory compliance but also on household consumption patterns and demand responsiveness. This study analyzed consumption patterns and estimated the price and expenditure elasticities of mandatory fortification vehicles—wheat flour and its derivatives, palm cooking oil, and salt—using data from the March 2024 National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas), covering 343,479 households. Demand elasticities were estimated using the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS), with prices proxied by unit values adjusted for quality effects. All three commodities were widely consumed, with national participation rates of 99.3% for wheat flour and its derivatives, 96.2% for palm cooking oil, and 97.5% for salt. The national own-price elasticities were −0.848 for wheat flour and its derivatives, −0.499 for palm cooking oil, and −0.844 for salt, indicating generally price-inelastic demand. However, demand responsiveness varied across expenditure groups and urban–rural settings. Wheat flour showed greater price sensitivity among lower-expenditure households, while palm cooking oil and salt exhibited more heterogeneous patterns. Expenditure elasticities were positive for all three commodities, although their magnitude varied across population groups. These findings indicate that fortification vehicles differ in consumption distribution and demand responsiveness and that participation rates should be interpreted as potential reach rather than actual coverage of fortified products. Consideration of consumption patterns, affordability, and demand responsiveness can inform a complementary multi-vehicle approach to food fortification in Indonesia.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183252

Authors: Luwei Wang Sa-ouk Kang Rui Liu Bo Sun

Ageing is driven by chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and stem cell exhaustion, posing a major global health challenge. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation is being investigated as a potential biotechnology to enhance the bioavailability and functionality of natural products, especially polyphenols and bioactive phytochemicals with anti-ageing potential. This review synthesizes recent advances in LAB-fermented natural products and their roles in modulating longevity pathways and stem cell regeneration. LAB fermentation can alter complex plant matrices by releasing or biotransforming substrate-bound phytochemicals and by generating metabolites such as organic acids, peptides, and, in some systems, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), cyclic dipeptides (CDPs), or bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs); the contribution of each component requires case-specific verification. In cellular and animal models, candidate mechanisms include modulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and AMP-activated protein kinase–sirtuin 1 (AMPK–SIRT1) signaling, although causal active components are often unresolved. Some LAB-fermented preparations or LAB-derived components have been associated with stem-cell-related outcomes in skin, bone, and neural cell or animal models. CDPs and BEVs are candidate fermentation-associated mediators, but evidence for their independent effects on human ageing remains preliminary. Collectively, LAB-fermented natural products are a promising research area for functional foods and nutraceuticals, but their efficacy and safety for ageing-related outcomes require clinical validation. Future research should focus on standardizing fermentation conditions, identifying active metabolites, and validating their clinical efficacy in human studies.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183251

Authors: Esra Mesci Dindar Dılhun Keriman Arserim-Uçar Adnan Ayna

In this study, a chitosan-based colloidal delivery systems (CDs) was developed as a natural delivery system for phenolic compounds from propolis extracts obtained via accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and evaluated for improving the functional properties of walnut sausages. ASE propolis extract was incorporated into a chitosan (C)-based colloidal delivery system formulated with varying concentrations of diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM) and lecithin (L). The formulation containing 2.5% chitosan, 12% DATEM and propolis, with a particle size of 265.9 nm and a ζ-potential of +40.8 mV, was selected for further characterization and food applications. The phenolic encapsulation of CDs depended on the structural characteristics of individual phenolic compounds, with chrysin (70.51%), vanillin (65.12%), and benzoic acid (51.26%) exhibiting the highest encapsulation; CD-treated walnut sausages decreased the lipid oxidation and improved the storage stability of the walnut sausages during storage. These findings indicate that the chitosan-based colloidal delivery system is a promising carrier for improving the encapsulation of propolis phenolics in walnut sausages.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183250

Authors: Kubra Ozkan Lorenzo Palombi Abderrazek Jilal Ghizlane Salih Francesco Sestili Cagla Ozer Maria Tufariello Barbara Laddomada Osman Sagdic Andrea Visioni Samuela Palombieri Hamit Koksel

Traditional processing can modify the nutritional and volatile characteristics of cereal-based foods. This study evaluated Moroccan Bandek production, comprising soaking, steaming, solar drying, and roasting, using three durum wheat genotypes—conventional Svevo, high-amylose Svevo HA, and soft-kernel Faridur—and the high-β-glucan hull-less barley Chifaa. Raw wholemeal flours and corresponding Bandek products were analyzed for color, protein, β-glucan, resistant starch, iron, zinc, phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In vitro starch hydrolysis and predicted glycemic index (pGI) were determined in Bandek products. Compared with the corresponding flours, Bandek products were darker and showed higher resistant starch, extractable phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, iron, and zinc concentrations, whereas protein content was lower. However, marked differences emerged among the cereal matrices. Among the durum wheats, Svevo HA Bandek had the highest resistant starch content (6.82%) and a lower pGI than conventional Svevo, whereas Faridur showed the highest pGI (74.75%). In contrast, Chifaa barley Bandek retained 6.03% β-glucan and had the lowest pGI (53.78), clearly distinguishing it from the durum wheat products. Following standardized sample preparation, total semi-quantitative VOC abundance was higher in Bandek than in flour, with pyrazines providing the clearest distinction between the processed and raw matrices and additional variation attributable to genotype. These findings demonstrate that Bandek characteristics depend strongly on the cereal species and genotype, highlighting the distinct nutritional potential of high-β-glucan barley and high-amylose durum wheat.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183248

Authors: Fen Zhou Meiyi Xu Xingdi Liu Yunhe An Jie Deng Xiaohui Lin Wei Wang Qiushui Wang

Salmonella remains a leading global foodborne pathogen, whereas low-water-activity foods are often underestimated as transmission vehicles. Here, whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed on 59 Salmonella strains isolated from low-water-activity foods (2017–2025) to investigate their genomic traits, antimicrobial resistance profiles, virulence genes, and mobile genetic elements. The isolates were mainly recovered from dried meat (44.07%) and dried soybean products (33.90%), covering 33 serovars and 36 sequence types. Salmonella Agona (ST13), S. Senftenberg (ST14), and S. Idikan (ST1561) predominated. Forty antimicrobial resistance genes across ten categories were detected. Notably, one S. Schwarzengrund isolate harbored the IncHI2 plasmid pWW013_mcr-9.2 carrying the mcr-9.2 gene, as well as various antibiotic resistance genes and heavy metal resistance operons. Comparative genomics revealed a conserved plasmid backbone and a distinctive resistance island. This study documents the first detection of an mcr-9.2-carrying Salmonella in low-water-activity foods in Beijing. Our findings demonstrate high genomic diversity, widespread resistance determinants, and the emergence of an mcr-9.2-carrying plasmid, supplying key genomic evidence for risk assessment and targeted control of Salmonella in low-water-activity foods.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183249

Authors: Zeyu Xie Sirong Lai Siqi Guan Mengxi Lv Meng Zhang Tingting Xiang Runan Liao Yingmei Tao Zhenhua Jia Yu Lei

Citrus postharvest blue mold caused by Penicillium italicum and green mold caused by P. digitatum are major diseases responsible for fruit decay and economic losses. Increasing fungicide resistance and concerns regarding the safety of chemical fungicides have created an urgent need for alternative control strategies. In this study, selenium microparticles (SeMPs) were biosynthesized by Lysinibacillus sphaericus N30 and characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The control efficacy of N30-derived SeMPs against citrus postharvest diseases was evaluated using a 6-h post-inoculation treatment and a co-inoculation treatment, and their antifungal effects were further investigated by assessing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, membrane integrity, extracellular conductivity, and leakage of intracellular macromolecules. The N30-derived SeMPs were predominantly spherical and exhibited a Z-average hydrodynamic diameter of 656.5 nm with a PDI of 0.274. EDS identified Se as the predominant element, while XRD and Raman analyses supported the formation of predominantly amorphous elemental selenium. In vivo assays showed that 640 mg·L−1 SeMPs completely prevented blue mold incidence in the P. italicum co-inoculation treatment, whereas 1280 mg·L−1 completely suppressed blue mold under both application modes. Green mold caused by P. digitatum was completely suppressed at 1280–2560 mg·L−1, with co-inoculation treatment generally showing greater efficacy than post-inoculation treatment. SeMP exposure was associated with increased intracellular ROS accumulation, loss of membrane integrity, increased extracellular conductivity, and leakage of intracellular macromolecules in both pathogens. P. italicum showed greater susceptibility to SeMPs-associated membrane perturbation than P. digitatum, consistent with its higher sensitivity in the fruit assays. These findings indicate that biogenic SeMPs produced by L. sphaericus N30 have potential as selenium-based antifungal materials for the management of citrus postharvest blue and green molds.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183247

Authors: Abraham Josué Nevárez-Ramírez Mónica I. García-Aranda Rene Cabezas Roberto Castro-Muñoz

The food and cosmetics industries are showing increasing scientific interest in plant-based bioactive compounds, positioning rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) as a high-value source of phytochemicals with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review analyzes the principal methods used to extract rosemary bioactive metabolites, comparing conventional techniques with emerging approaches in terms of extraction efficiency, sustainability, and preservation of bioactive compounds. The discussion covers hydrodistillation, steam distillation, Soxhlet extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, as well as emerging technologies such as ultrasound, microwave, pulsed electric field, enzyme-assisted extraction, and deep eutectic solvents. Particular attention is given to how extraction strategies influence the recovery and stability of major compounds, including carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmarinic acid, 1,8-cineole, and α-pinene, considering their different physicochemical properties. Overall, emerging technologies may improve extraction yield or reduce processing time under specific conditions; however, their environmental performance and ability to preserve compound stability depend on solvent selection, energy and water consumption, process configuration, and downstream requirements. These advances support the sustainable production of rosemary-derived ingredients with promising applications in functional foods and cosmetic formulations.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183246

Authors: Yingying Zhou Yumeng Wei Jingyi Huo Lijuan Xu Meng Li Soottawat Benjakul Xinru Fan

Achieving ambient temperature storage of ready-to-eat sea cucumber (RTE-SC) remains a critical scientific challenge that urgently needs to be addressed in the industry. Recently, bioactive packaging materials have been increasingly applied in the aquatic product preservation, demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing storage stability and extending the shelf-life. In this study, Seaweed extract (SE) was employed as a functional and bioactive component to fabricate gelatin/chitosan composite films (G-C–SE), and the preservative efficacy of the prepared films was systematically evaluated on ready-to-eat sea cucumber (RTE-SC) under ambient temperature storage. The SE was prepared and characterized in terms of extraction yield, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content, all of which confirmed its satisfactory in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The experimental results demonstrated that extraction using 60% (v/v) ethanol solvent yielded the most favorable outcomes, exhibiting satisfactory antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Subsequently, the characterization and other physicochemical properties revealed that the incorporation of SE effectively facilitated the hydrogen-bonding interactions and improved the mechanical strength, barrier performance, and thermal stability of composite film matrix. When applied to the preservation of RTE-SC, the G-C–SE films exhibited remarkable quality-regulating effects. After 5 days storage, compared with the control group (CON), the protection of G3.3:C0.2−0.5% film (containing 3.3 wt% gelatin, 0.2% wt% chitosan, and 0.5 wt% L. japonica extract) resulted in a 26.07% reduction in the TCA-soluble oligopeptides content, a 10.39-fold decrease in glycosaminoglycan release, and an 11.28-fold suppression of TBARS elevation. Additionally, this treatment effectively retarded the rise in TVB-N accumulation, delayed textural deterioration, and maintained superior visual appearance throughout the storage period. These findings demonstrate that the G-C–SE composite film, as an active packaging material, can significantly mitigate the quality degradation of RTE-SC during ambient temperature storage, thereby providing a promising technological strategy for the application of bioactive films in aquatic food preservation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183245

Authors: Necla Ozdemir-Orhan Merve Akpinar-Uzun Nurhan Gunes Aziz Tekin Ahmed Menevseoglu

Commercial aromatic herbs sold under the names thyme and oregano may encompass heterogeneous plant materials, making chemical-profile screening important even when botanical identity is unknown. This study characterized 110 commercial products marketed in Türkiye and evaluated whether portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy could predict chemical-profile classes derived independently from GC-FID/MS data. Commercial labels were recorded but were not treated as verified species identities. Essential oils were measured in technical duplicate for 23 volatile compounds; replicate means were subjected to compositional data treatment, principal component analysis and Ward clustering. Two clusters were selected by the silhouette criterion (0.485), and cluster stability under technical-replicate resampling was high (median adjusted Rand index, 0.907). Cluster 1 (n = 17) was relatively enriched in sabinene, caryophyllene, carvacrol and delta-3-carene, whereas Cluster 2 (n = 93) showed higher myrcene, p-cymene, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene. Two NIR spectra were collected per sample. To prevent replicate leakage, spectra were averaged before repeated nested cross-validation; a grouped-replicate analysis was also performed. A majority-class baseline achieved 84.55% accuracy but only 0.500 balanced accuracy. The best primary model, shrinkage linear discriminant analysis, yielded a mean accuracy of 0.689, a balanced accuracy of 0.565, a macro-F1 of 0.530 and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.103. The grouped-replicate sensitivity analysis gave a balanced accuracy of 0.592. Thus, GC-FID/MS revealed a stable chemical-profile structure, but portable NIR did not reliably recover the minority chemical class. NIR may support exploratory triage after broader calibration, but the present data do not support stand-alone botanical authentication or definitive chemical-class assignment.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183244

Authors: Maria Simona Chiș Anca Corina Fărcaș Gheorghe Adrian Martău Dan Cristian Vodnar Anamaria Pop Adriana Păucean Simona Maria Man Paul Andor

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Jonathan), beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), and plum (Prunus domestica L.) pomaces are among the major by-products generated by the juice processing industry in Europe, particularly in producing countries such as Poland, Germany, Spain, and Romania. Conventionally discarded or utilized as animal feed or bioenergy pellet production, these matrices hold potential as high-value functional food ingredients. Supporting circular bioeconomy goals, this study evaluated the potential of industrial pomaces generated during continuous juice pressing as high-value functional food ingredients following their conversion into powders by air-drying and milling. The pomace powders were characterized for proximate composition, color, individual phenolics and carotenoids, and in vitro antioxidant capacities. Carrot pomace presented a high content of carotenoids (84.37 ± 0.08 µg/g dw) and ash (7.78 ± 0.41% dw), providing natural orange-yellow coloration and contributing to the mineral content. Beetroot pomace recorded the highest dietary fiber (17.20 ± 0.55% dw), as well as betalains, ideal as a natural red colorant and emulsion stabilizer. Plum pomace demonstrated the strongest overall antioxidant capacity, driven by tentatively identified 3-caffeoylquinic acid (712.36 ± 0.31 μg/g dw), flavonols, and anthocyanins (264.16 ± 0.5 μg/g dw). Apple pomace provided a carbohydrate-rich matrix (77.71 ± 0.65% dw) featuring positively identified chlorogenic acid (463.16 ± 0.35 μg/g dw) and tentatively identified dihydrochalcones. These findings support the targeted valorization of these pomaces as functional food ingredients within a circular bioeconomy framework.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183243

Authors: Zhenlong Chen Dong He Xia Zhang Lin Li Bing Li Xinhui Xing

Sequential non-thermal and thermal processing offers a route to jointly adjust the functionality, color/volatile profile and immunoreactivity of gluten-containing systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sequential ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis, wheat/rice starch incorporation and microwave heating on soluble gluten hydrolysate–starch composites, and to probe the underlying starch–gluten interactions. Gluten hydrolysates were blended with wheat or rice starch and microwave-heated to induce the Maillard reaction. Sequential processing enriched the <1 kDa peptide fraction (2.34%→13.05–14.99%) and raised ABTS·+ scavenging (0.25→0.40 mM Trolox/g). After starch compounding and microwaving, the composites exhibited increased protein-normalized TEAC (0.07–0.08 to 0.10–0.13 mM per mg/mL protein) and released more ninhydrin-reactive amino groups (>55 μmol/mg protein) after in vitro digestion. All microwave composites remained pale (L* > 94), with the coupled treated rice-starch composite showing the lowest color difference (ΔE = 0.25). GC-FID/electronic-nose profiling with PCA–DFA showed that the coupled treated composites retained a native cereal-like volatile profile, marked by the green/malty aldehyde 3-methylbutanal and hexanal, with only mild roasted-type Maillard volatiles and the clearest separation for rice starch. The lowest residual R5-reactive gluten reached 8.31–9.82 ppm for the coupled treated groups. Docking provided putative models of multi-site starch binding near immunodominant gliadin sequences (e.g., QQPYP, LQPFP) via Glu/Gln–glucose hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts, with more diverse binding modes for rice starch. Overall, the sequential treatment improved functional and volatile properties and lowered R5-detectable immunoreactivity for composites, offering a process reference for the development of balanced gluten-derived functional ingredients and special dietary food formulations.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183241

Authors: Naphatsawan Singhadechachai Wannaporn Klangpetch Kridsada Unban Tabkrich Khumsap Pornchai Rachtanapun Apinya Chaikaew Waritsara Khamjing Suphat Phongthai Pipat Tangjaidee

Oats are a rich source of bioactive polysaccharides, particularly β-glucan, while selenium is an essential trace element involved in various physiological functions. This study investigated the effects of sodium selenite supplementation during oat germination on selenium accumulation and polysaccharide characteristics, followed by optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Germination with 150 ppm sodium selenite resulted in a higher extraction yield (10.22%), polysaccharide content (951.04 mg/g extract), and total selenium content in the crude polysaccharide extract (2.91 mg Se/g extract). Response surface methodology identified the optimal UAE conditions as an ultrasonic power of 520 W, an extraction time of 29 min, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 7.35% (w/v). FTIR analysis indicated changes in the infrared spectral features of the polysaccharide fraction following selenium enrichment, while the major structural characteristics were generally retained. Selenium enrichment in polysaccharide from germinated oats showed no significant cytotoxicity toward RAW264.7 macrophages. Fractionation using DEAE-52 cellulose chromatography revealed that selenium was unevenly distributed among the polysaccharide fractions, with OP150-3 containing the highest selenium content (0.12 mg Se/g polysaccharide) and exhibiting higher antioxidant activity than the corresponding non-enriched fraction. Overall, selenium-enriched germinated oats show potential as a source of selenium-associated bioactive polysaccharides for functional food and nutraceutical applications.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183242

Authors: Rawan Muhammad Shady Adel Abdelkhalek Ahmed Abd El Wahed Arianna Ceruti Behrouz Alizadeh Savareh Ahmed S. Fouad

Aflatoxin contamination remains a critical challenge for food and feed safety, necessitating effective mitigation strategies. This study addresses the challenge of aflatoxin contamination by identifying four novel bacterial candidates capable of degrading four major aflatoxin congeners (B1, B2, G1, and G2). Quantitative HPLC and qualitative LC-HRMS with MS/MS profiling revealed that the isolated bacterial strains achieved high degradation efficiencies of 86–94%, proceeding through distinct demethylation and decarboxylation pathways. Oxford Nanopore whole-genome sequencing identified these potent degraders as Escherichia coli EC_2 and Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP_4, KP_5, and KP_6). To elucidate the genomic basis of this phenotype, we performed a comparative genomic analysis against two non-degrading E. coli strains. Functional annotation revealed complete aromatic degradation modules and intact enzymatic cascades present only in the degrading strains, demonstrating that this biodegradation capability is highly strain specific. Furthermore, molecular docking of key putative enzymes unique to these active cascades demonstrated highly favorable binding affinities (up to −8.70 kcal/mol) with all four aflatoxin congeners, stabilized by robust hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic networks. These findings provide a novel genomic and structural blueprint for aflatoxin biotransformation, highlighting the specific putative candidate enzymes, paaH and mhpB, for future investigations.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183240

Authors: Ying Hu Yongle Xie

The coffee industry in developing countries has long been locked into the lower end of the global value chain, and external governance mechanisms such as fair trade have struggled to fundamentally reverse this situation. This study adopts a mixed-methods research design, using the coffee industry in Yunnan, China, as a case study to reveal the micro-level mechanisms by which domestic demand drives industrial upgrading. Building on these case-derived mechanisms, it then uses panel data from 96 major coffee-producing and coffee-consuming economies from 2012 to 2024 to examine their macro-level implications, including national-level relationships, nonlinear patterns, and cross-country heterogeneity. The study shows that both factors generally drive export upgrading and exhibit a “promotion—inhibition—re-promotion” pattern characterized by a dual-threshold nonlinearity. The case study reveals that the inhibition phase stems from a mismatch between market expansion and demand structure upgrading, where homogeneous capacity growth temporarily offsets the effects of quality upgrading. Heterogeneity manifests in three distinct patterns: producing countries exhibit only a significant domestic market absorption effect; traditional consuming countries are primarily characterized by path dependence; and emerging consuming countries achieve dual-driven growth in both scale and quality. By bridging macroeconomic effects and microeconomic logic, this study clarifies the conditions under which domestic demand drives product-end upgrading along the value chain, providing a reference for different economies to formulate differentiated upgrading strategies.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183239

Authors: Olena Nifatova Yuriy Danko Nataliia Volchenko Maryna Samilyk Dmytro Bidiuk Yana Koplyk

The growing demand for sustainable protein sources has accelerated the development of plant-based, microbial, cultivated, and insect proteins. This review combines a systematic analysis of Scopus-indexed publications with bibliometric mapping in Biblioshiny and VOSviewer and a comparative synthesis across environmental, economic, technological, nutritional, and social dimensions. The bibliometric results show a shift from technology-specific studies toward sustainability, circular bioeconomy, life-cycle assessment, consumer acceptance, and protein-transition research. No platform consistently outperforms the others across all dimensions. Plant-based proteins are currently the most technologically mature and economically competitive; microbial proteins offer high resource efficiency and circularity; cultivated meat most closely reproduces conventional meat but remains constrained by cost and energy demand; and insect proteins support nutrient recycling but face persistent acceptance and regulatory barriers. The evidence indicates that future sustainable protein systems will depend on complementary rather than competing production platforms. Integrating these technologies according to their distinct functional and sustainability advantages provides a promising pathway toward resilient and resource-efficient food systems and offers a basis for research priorities, technology development, investment, and policy strategies supporting the global protein transition.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183238

Authors: Hind El Bouzidi Mona Taghouti Aziz Baidani Fatima Gaboun Degu Wuletaw Tadesse Ilyass Britel Mackaye Moussa Hassane Mohamed Amine Abdellaoui Imane El Ftouh Fatima Ezzahra Oudrhiri Ghizlane Diria

Bread wheat technological quality is jointly influenced by genotype, environment, and their interaction (G × E). Although Mixolab® has been used to characterize rheological variation among wheat genotypes, its combined application with stability analysis remains limited in Moroccan multi-environment trials. Rheological variability and relative stability were evaluated using wholemeal flour from 13 bread wheat varieties grown across three contrasting agro-ecological zones in Morocco. Under a fixed hydration level of 60%—rather than the sample-specific hydration used in the standard ICC 173 procedure—nine Mixolab® 2 parameters (C1–C5, α, β, γ, and mixing stability time) were measured. Two-way ANOVA, REML-based BLUPs, principal component analysis (PCA), and inter-environment stability indices were applied to evaluate varietal performance and relative stability. Highly significant effects (p < 0.001) of genotype, environment, and G × E were observed for all parameters. Under fixed hydration, the observed responses may reflect differences in flour composition, water-binding properties, and dough development at a common water level. Environmental contributions were largest for α and mixing stability time, whereas genotype-associated contributions were largest for C4 and C5. The first two principal components explained 72.6% of the total variability and identified three rheological groups under fixed hydration conditions: low-consistency genotypes, varieties with balanced rheological profiles, and starch-oriented genotypes. Within the three-environment, single-season network, Kenz, Najia, Khadija, Malika, and Ibtissam showed the lowest inter-environment variation, whereas Lina and Irchad showed the greatest. Whether these rankings remain consistent under the standard ICC 173 sample-specific hydration procedure remains unknown. These results illustrate the potential of combining Mixolab® 2 parameters with mixed-model and stability analyses to characterize rheological patterns under fixed hydration conditions. Additional environments and cropping seasons are required before broad adaptation or environment-specific recommendations can be made.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183236

Authors: Yu Zhang Jing Sun Han Hu Lin Zhang Xuan Ma Jiangying Heng Xiaofeng Xue Rui Chen Feng Wang

Drying is an important processing method for extending the shelf life of aquatic products; however, different drying methods may exert distinct effects on protein quality. At present, the effects of sun drying and vacuum freeze-drying on the protein quality of Hippocampus abdominalis remain unclear. This study compared the protein content, amino acid composition, and physicochemical properties of Hippocampus abdominalis subjected to the two drying methods and further characterized changes in the proteomic profile using proteomic analysis. The results showed that the sun-dried group had a higher crude protein content (68.57% vs. 61.86%), whereas the freeze-dried group exhibited greater total amino acid retention (58.79% vs. 48.87%), water-holding capacity (WHC), and oil-holding capacity (OHC). However, no significant differences were observed in protein solubility or surface hydrophobicity between the two groups. Proteomic analysis further revealed that most differentially abundant proteins showed higher relative abundance in the freeze-dried group and were mainly associated with muscle structural stability, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. Overall, the two drying methods affected the protein quality of Hippocampus abdominalis at multiple levels, including nutritional composition and physicochemical properties, while proteomic analysis provided further molecular-level insights into these quality differences.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183237

Authors: Napassorn Salamun Suteera Vatthanakul Bootsrapa Leelawat Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

This study investigated the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) on the physicochemical and functional properties of pea protein isolate (PPI). PPI was HPP-treated at 0.1 (control), 400, and 500 MPa, and its protein solubility, oil-holding capacity (OHC), surface hydrophobicity (H0), ζ-potential, and emulsion droplet size (D4,3) were evaluated. Results showed that HPP significantly improved protein solubility, reaching 38.61% at 400 MPa compared with 12.45% in the untreated PPI powder. OHC and H0 of PPI also increased after HPP, suggesting its enhanced interaction with oil and exposure of hydrophobic residues. Emulsions stabilized with HPP-treated PPI exhibited smaller droplet sizes and higher absolute ζ-potential values, suggesting improved initial emulsifying properties. The enhancement in functional properties may be associated with changes in surface hydrophobicity and charge characteristics, potentially reflecting pressure-induced conformational rearrangements. However, a slight decrease in solubility and surface hydrophobicity was observed at 500 MPa, which may be associated with pressure-induced protein aggregation. Overall, HPP effectively modified PPI surface characteristics, leading to improved emulsifying and functional performance, highlighting its potential application in food formulations requiring good protein dispersibility and emulsifying properties.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183233

Authors: Zongyi Zhang Xiaolu Li Wenting Zhai Chunmei Zhu Zongmin Fan Zhijun Zhang Junli Sun Baolong Zhao

This study assessed how rootstocks affect the physicochemical traits, sensory quality, and aroma profile of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (CS) wine to guide rootstock selection in arid regions. Self-grafted vines (CS/CS) were the control, and five combinations (CS/5BB, CS/140R, CS/5C, CS/SO4, CS/kangzhen3) were vinified using standard procedures. Physicochemical indices, CIELab colour, and sensory attributes were evaluated; volatiles were analysed by HS-SPME-GC-MS and interpreted using PCA, OPLS-DA, and OAVs. All wines met national dry red wine standards. CS/SO4 showed the best overall physicochemical quality (composite PCA score 4.167, ranked first) and significantly higher dry extract, total sugar, soluble solids, and resveratrol than CS/CS. CS/5BB had the highest total semi-quantitative aroma compound content (53,278.32 μg·L−1) and the greatest ester proportion (42.85%), exceeding the other treatments (10.98–38.61%). Ninety-four volatiles were identified; 13 compounds exhibited OAV > 1, mainly esters (ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl octanoate) and aldehydes (hexanal and heptanal) imparting fruity, floral, and green notes. OPLS-DA identified 15 discriminant compounds (VIP > 1), including ethyl acetate, phenethyl alcohol, and isopentanol. CS/5BB and CS/5C were enriched in floral/fruity esters, whereas CS/140R and CS/CS showed stronger vegetal/chemical notes. Rootstock significantly altered physicochemical properties, colour, antioxidant capacity, and aroma; CS/SO4 may improve balance and ageing potential, while CS/5BB enhances aroma complexity and fruit expression. As the data were obtained from a single vineyard site and a single harvest year, these findings require validation in multi-year trials.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183234

Authors: Noam Tzirkel-Hancock Christina Ramires Ferreira Roni Tadmor-Levi Nurit Argov-Argaman

Bovine milk fat is distinguished by a high proportion of short and medium chain fatty acids, a profile that mammary epithelial cells (MEC) fail to reproduce in vitro. When considering culturing MEC as a source for alternative dairy products, this failure limits the ability of replicating the functionality of milk fat. Conventional media used to grow the cells is designed to mimic monogastric animal plasma, disregarding the profound metabolic differences compared with ruminant plasma. Therefore, we hypothesized that the inability to reproduce milk fat composition in vitro reflects substrate composition rather than an intrinsic limitation of the cells. To test this, we gradually modulated MEC media composition towards a ruminant-like substrate balance, lowering glucose and supplementing acetate. Pathway analysis revealed that high glucose media enhanced TCA cycle without activating de novo lipogenesis, while acetate increased lipid accumulation in both glucose backgrounds. Caprylic acid (C8:0), a medium-chain fatty acid characteristic of bovine milk fat, increased with acetate supplementation and peaked under low glucose media with acetate, consistent with acetate increasing lower molecular weight triglycerides. These results indicate that the limited capacity of MEC cultures to generate milk-like fatty acid profiles is substantially influenced by the substrate environment, and that a ruminant-like shift in substrate availability partially, but not completely, redirects fatty acid output towards the milk fat profile.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183235

Authors: Peng Huang Lei Cao Mingzhen Li Fang Wu Yujia Xia Shuyi Li Tongtong Ye Shuxin Peng Lin Ye Pinyao Zhao Wen Qin

The escalating environmental burden of conventional plastic food packaging has intensified the search for sustainable, biodegradable alternatives. However, single-component polysaccharide edible films often exhibit suboptimal mechanical and barrier properties, which limits their practical applicability. In this study, pullulan (PUL), konjac glucomannan (KGM) and low-acyl gellan gum (LGG) were blended as film-forming substrates with glycerol as a plasticiser. Single-factor experiments combined with Box–Behnken response surface methodology (RSM) were employed to optimise the formulation of ternary edible composite films. The effects of PUL, KGM and LGG concentrations on mechanical properties and water vapour permeability (WVP) were systematically investigated. The optimised film was comprehensively characterised for microstructure, physical barrier performance, antioxidant activity, soil disintegration, bacteriostatic capacity and plum preservation efficiency. The optimal formulation comprised 1.43 g/100 mL PUL, 0.24 g/100 mL KGM and 0.48 g/100 mL LGG. Under these conditions, the composite film exhibited a transparent and smooth appearance, with a continuous and dense internal microstructure. The comprehensive performance score (K) reached 0.805 ± 0.013, with a WVP of 2.75 ± 0.17 g·μm/(m2·h·kPa), light transmittance of 89.93% ± 1.26%, tensile strength (TS) of 3.05 ± 0.14 N/cm2, elongation at break (EB) of 64.57% ± 0.58% and DPPH radical scavenging activity of 34.12% ± 0.96%. Storage trials on two plum varieties demonstrated that the composite coating effectively mitigated fruit weight loss, retarded peel browning and pulp softening, and maintained superior sensory quality throughout storage. Overall, the PUL/KGM/LGG ternary edible composite film exhibited favourable mechanical strength, promising water vapour barrier properties and moderate antioxidant activity, suggesting its potential as a useful reference for the further development and industrial adoption of biodegradable edible films in fruit and vegetable preservation.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183232

Authors: Adam Drewnowski Faraja Yusto Mgaya

This study used the Nutrient-Rich Food (NRF9.3) index to compare the overall nutrient density of kiwifruit with that of other fruits and juices in two national nutrient composition datasets: the US Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) and the French ANSES/CIQUAL database. Additional data for five kiwifruit cultivars came from the New Zealand Food Composition Tables (NZFCT). NRF9.3 scores were calculated for kiwifruit, citrus fruit, berries, other fruit and juice, cooked and dried fruit, exotic fruit, and fruit cocktails and salads. The NRF9.3 components were the positive NR9 subscore that included protein, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E, and a negative LIM that was based on saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium. Kiwifruit (n-6) had the highest mean NRF9.3 scores in both the FNDDS and the ANSES/CIQUAL database. Kiwifruit had significantly higher NRF9.3 scores than all other fruit categories, except for citrus fruit and tropical fruit (FNDDS) and citrus fruit and berries (ANSES/CIQUAL). As shown by the NRF9.3 overall nutrient density metric, kiwifruit was high in other micronutrients in addition to its high content of vitamin C. Nutrient-profiling methods use fiber and multiple vitamins and minerals to identify the most nutrient-dense food items and can be applied to different databases globally. Assessing the nutrient density of fruit, with a focus on shortfall micronutrients, can help in the implementation of dietary guidance.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183231

Authors: Zuoming Cao Yan Wang Yonghui Zhang Zuoting Yang Jun Sheng Yang Tian Lei Peng

The rising global prevalence of hyperuricemia has intensified the search for natural xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors from food-grade botanicals. This study screened leaf extracts from four plant species for XO inhibitory activity and identified raspberry leaf as the most potent source. Among seven extraction and pre-treatment methods, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) outperformed conventional decoction and all alternatives. Box–-Behnken response surface methodology optimized UAE parameters to 70 °C, 50 min, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 g/mL, yielding an extract with 97.77 ± 0.08% XO inhibition and an IC50 of 0.3433 mg/mL—a 5.34-fold potency gain over decoction. Kinetic characterization established a reversible mixed-type inhibition mechanism (Ki = 0.147 mg/mL), alongside parallel improvements in DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging. Widely targeted UHPLC-MS/MS metabolomics identified 2987 metabolites; network pharmacology and molecular docking revealed that the origin of XO inhibition potentially involves terpenoids and coumarins—not the flavonoid and polyphenol fractions conventionally assumed—with dihydroactinidiolide, 7-hydroxy-8-methoxycoumarin, and piperlongumine as the candidate active constituents. These results position UAE-optimized raspberry leaf extract as a promising natural functional ingredient for hyperuricemia management and expand the phytochemical scope of plant-derived XO antagonists beyond flavonoids.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183230

Authors: Lili Liang Qiaoxuan Ke Lanyan Huang Shaofang Hu Weipeng Guo Weiyi Luo Ling Chen Qingping Wu

Sleep disorders represent a growing public health concern, yet current pharmacological interventions are limited by tolerance, dependence, and rebound insomnia. This study evaluated the probiotic properties of Bifidobacterium longum B18 and its effects on pharmacologically induced sleep parameters in male Sprague–Dawley rats, focusing on tryptophan-related metabolism and gut microbiota composition. In vitro, B18 exhibited favourable probiotic characteristics, no detectable haemolytic activity, and susceptibility to all eight antimicrobials tested. In vivo, B18 significantly shortened barbital sodium-induced sleep latency and prolonged pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep duration (p < 0.05). Targeted metabolomic profiling of faeces, plasma, and hippocampus showed increased tryptophan and melatonin concentrations, whereas 5-HTP and 5-HT remained unchanged. B18 was also associated with lower Kyn/Trp ratios, although plasma Kyn concentrations were unchanged. Increased MT/5-HT ratios and elevated hippocampal AANAT levels were also observed, supporting an association with enhanced melatonin-related metabolism. Gut microbiota analysis showed higher abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the B18 group than in the DZP group, together with lower Desulfovibrio abundance than in the CTR. Exploratory correlation analysis further showed positive associations of Bifidobacterium abundance with faecal tryptophan and melatonin levels and an inverse association with the Kyn/Trp ratio. Collectively, these findings indicate that B. longum B18 modifies pharmacologically induced sleep parameters in association with altered tryptophan–melatonin metabolism and gut microbiota composition, supporting further evaluation of B18 as a candidate probiotic for sleep-related functional applications.

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods15183229

Authors: Cássia H. Barbosa Mariana A. Andrade Victor G. L. Souza Francisco Ravasco Carla Motta Miguel A. Cerqueira Vasco D. F. Martins Andreia F. M. Santos Sidney Tomé Fernanda Vilarinho Ana Sanches Silva Ana Luísa Fernando

Despite being usually discarded, agro-industrial by-products are rich in bioactive and nutritional compounds and can be redirected into new foods or food packaging. This study evaluated the nutritional composition of cardoon leaves (Cynara cardunculus L.), an agro-industrial by-product, and assessed the impact of the drying process on those characteristics. Furthermore, extracts of the dried leaves and dried leaves combined with lemon peel were incorporated into whey protein-based films at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% (w/v). Their physical, barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties were also analysed. When compared on a dry weight (DW) basis, the dry leaves maintained a stable nutritional profile with no significant degradation of key components, presenting with high carbohydrates (15.4 ± 1.1 g/100 g), moderate protein (21.2 ± 0.4 g/100 g), and low fat (2.0 ± 0.1 g/100 g). The leaves were also a good source of dietary fibres (43.9 ± 1.8 g/100 g) and minerals (13.7 ± 0.2 g/100 g of ash). Incorporating the extracts altered the films’ physicochemical properties, reducing their water vapour permeability up to 4.05 ± 0.26 10−10 g/s.m.Pa, while their tensile strength decreased from 0.34 ± 0.06 to 0.23 ± 0.01 MPa depending on the formulation, and their elongation at break decreased by up to 6.58 ± 0.70%. In contrast, Young’s modulus increased by up to 0.11 ± 0.03 MPa, indicating higher rigidity. This behaviour may be attributed to the interactions between the phenolic compounds and the whey protein matrix, which restricted polymer chain mobility and increased film rigidity while reducing matrix cohesion and flexibility. The results demonstrate that while the extracts enhanced the barrier properties of the films, they reduced the mechanical properties. Overall, the results suggest that cardoon by-products have potential applications in active food packaging, contributing to the development of bio-based materials within a circular economy framework.