Search Results (5,246)

Conventional gummies are characterized by high sugar, sweetener, and additive content, which has increased the demand for healthier alternatives. In this context, the incorporation of unconventional ingredients has emerged as a promising strategy to improve nutritional profile and functional value. This review aimed to collect and analyze information on the nutritional, technological, and sensory properties of unconventional ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, microalgae, natural sweeteners, coproducts, and other functional compounds, in gummy formulations. A literature search was conducted, from which 20 relevant studies were selected and analyzed. The results showed that fruit incorporation increased the content of fiber, vitamin, and antioxidant compounds, while vegetables improved the mineral composition and the presence of bioactive compounds. Similarly, agro-industrial coproducts were identified as valuable sources of functional compounds with potential for sustainable valorization. In addition, the alternative gelling agents exhibited favorable effects on the texture, gel-forming capacity, stability, and shelf life of the samples. Overall, these ingredients demonstrated nutritional, technological, sensory, and sustainability advantages. However, challenges related to industrial scalability and sensory evaluation remain. Full article

Camel milk (CM), which is produced by both Camelus dromedarius and Camelus bactrianus, is gaining increasing popularity as a value-added functional dairy product, but the science of managing its shelf life has progressed more slowly than its commercial expansion. Unlike bovine milk, CM lacks β-lactoglobulin (β-LG), has a unique casein (CN) micelle structure with a high β-CN-to-αs1-CN ratio, and low κ-CN protein content, and contains an unusually rich bioactive protein fraction including lactoferrin (LF), immunoglobulin G (IgG), lysozyme (LZ), and peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP). These compositional characteristics imbue CM with both significant inherent antimicrobial benefits and place it at risk of processing weaknesses that do not have direct analogs in bovine dairy science. The review discusses three key areas of CM shelf life science that have not been sufficiently addressed in the published literature. The first relates to physicochemical mechanisms of deterioration, including lipid oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), destabilization of CN micelles in the structural absence of β-LG, and Maillard browning during thermal treatment and storage of powder. The second addresses the fate of bioactive proteins, with the majority being lactoferrin (LF), immunoglobulin G (Igs), and heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs), under both thermal and non-thermal processing conditions. The third looks at new non-thermal preservation methods, such as high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasonication, ultraviolet irradiation, cold plasma, and electromagnetic (EM) field treatment, and functional packaging innovations, which contribute to longer shelf life. Of the non-thermal options examined, HPP at 200–400 MPa today provides the most mechanistically proven evidence for camel-specific microbial deactivation with satisfactory quality preservation. The latest primary CM research also indicates that processing with EMs in the 850 mT range can potentially be as effective as conventional pasteurization in microbial control and may be more effective than pasteurization in retaining desirable bioactive markers, although this result needs to be independently replicated before more responsible conclusions can be drawn. The review ends with four priority research gaps: standardized kinetic shelf life modeling frameworks, systematic characterization of bioactive protein stability under commercial processing conditions, life cycle assessment of preservation chains across the camel dairy supply continuum, and the urgent validation of camel-specific pasteurization adequacy indicators to replace bovine alkaline phosphatase, which remains active in CM after conventional high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization. Full article

This study evaluated oxidative damage, antioxidant-related, and nitric oxide (NO)-related chemical markers in commercial bee pollen using two extraction systems. For this purpose, a total of 30 bee pollen samples from different brands and/or manufacturers were examined; each sample was subjected to aqueous extraction and ethanol/water (80:20, v/v). The levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and NO metabolites, comprising nitrite and nitrate and expressed as total NOx, were determined in pollen extracts using spectrophotometric methods. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and Spearman correlation analysis. The findings showed that ethanol/water (80:20, v/v) extraction provided significantly higher measured GSH equivalents and total NOx levels than aqueous extraction. Mean GSH equivalents were 79.12 ± 25.54 µmol/g in the aqueous extracts and 189.77 ± 45.09 µmol/g in the ethanol/water extracts, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). NO metabolite levels were determined as 5.97 ± 8.34 and 366.70 ± 85.10 µmol/g, respectively, and the difference between the extraction methods was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). In contrast, MDA levels did not show a significant difference between the two extraction systems (p = 0.391). A significant positive correlation was observed between GSH and NO metabolites in the combined dataset (r = 0.660, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that 80% ethanolic bee pollen extract may represent a promising source of NO metabolites for future investigation as a natural alternative to synthetic sodium nitrite in processed meat products. However, this hypothesis requires validation through microbiological, technological, sensory, and shelf-life studies. Full article

Owing to its infinite shelf-life under ambient conditions, satisfactory recyclability, and great reparability, carbon fiber-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (CF/PPS) has been increasingly applied in the near-net-shape manufacture of high-value components. Longitudinal torsional ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling (LTUVAM) shows strong potential as an advanced processing technology for the efficient precision machining of composites. However, studies and models on the explanation of LTUVAM of CF/PPS composites seem to be missing in the literature. This paper proposes a finite element analysis method for LTUVAM of UD-CF/PPS processes. The kinematic analysis of the LTUVAM is proposed first, then the mechanism of surface formation during UD-CF/PPS milling process is provided. A simulation method which could simultaneously achieve both longitudinal and torsional vibration motions is introduced in the finite element model, enabling the simulation of LTUVAM of UD-CF/PPS composites. The experimental validations were conducted under both CM and LTUVAM conditions with three different cutters, demonstrating that cutting force simulations have significant agreement with experimental data, and both simulation and experiment indicate that LTUVAM produces superior surface quality compared to CM; the fiber debonding at the microscopic level could be eliminated and the height of machined surfaces could be significantly reduced when LTUVAM is utilized. These findings could also open avenues for clarification of other scientific queries such as cutting parameters optimization, cutting tool selection, and modeling of the UD-CF/PPS drilling process. Full article

Bread is a global dietary staple, but its susceptibility to fungal spoilage causes substantial food waste, economic losses, and greenhouse gas emissions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by sourdough microorganisms can contribute to the prevention of bread spoilage; however, the specific VOCs that exert the protective effect in the bread matrix have not been precisely identified. Our study investigated the antifungal activity of sourdough lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consortia, both alone and in combination with yeast and acetic acid bacteria (AAB), as well as the VOC profiles of sourdough and sourdough bread. The consortium comprising Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 9-5 and Levilactobacillus brevis 9-2 (LAB), Monosporozyma unispora R3SD1d (yeast), and Acetobacter fabarum WB and Komagataeibacter rhaeticus Ch2 (AAB) extended the mold-free shelf life of sourdough bread by 8–20 days after challenge tests. VOC analysis revealed that sourdough bread had significantly higher concentrations of ethyl esters of hexanoic and octanoic acids with 6.3- to 9.7-fold increase in peak areas after three days of refrigerated storage, assuming their decisive role in prevention of fungal spoilage. In conclusion, the use of this consortium is promising to significantly extend bread shelf life, but also to enrich the bread VOC profile. Full article

Pichia manshurica (P. manshurica), a gas-producing spoilage yeast prevalent in fermented foods, causes package swelling, off-flavor formation, and quality deterioration, thereby shortening shelf life and reducing commercial value. Carvacrol, a natural phenolic compound from plant essential oils, has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, but its mechanism for inhibiting P. manshurica’s gas production is unclear. In this study, in vitro and in situ experiments confirmed that carvacrol significantly inhibits gas production by P. manshurica in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptomic analysis identified 374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were mainly enriched in biological processes such as nitrogen compound metabolism, lipid metabolism, and organic substance biosynthesis, as well as cellular components including the cell membrane, mitochondrion, and endoplasmic reticulum. Metabolomic analysis screened a total of 440 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), primarily involving carboxylic acids, phospholipids, fatty acids, and amino acids. Integrated transcriptome–metabolome analysis revealed that carvacrol disrupts cell membrane integrity, blocks the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, and interferes with energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism in P. manshurica, thereby suppressing its gas production. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which carvacrol inhibits gas production by P. manshurica, providing a theoretical basis for the development and application of carvacrol as a natural preservative in fermented foods. Full article

The extensive use of petroleum-based plastics in food packaging has raised environmental concerns, increasing interest in biodegradable materials derived from renewable resources. Cellulose-based films from agricultural residues offer a sustainable alternative, and incorporating bioactive compounds can provide active packaging functionality to enhance food preservation. In this study, resveratrol was incorporated into oat straw-derived cellulose films to develop biodegradable active packaging materials. Films with varying concentrations of resveratrol were prepared and evaluated for physical, mechanical, barrier, optical, antioxidant, biodegradation, and fruit preservation properties. Resveratrol significantly enhanced the films’ antioxidant activity, increasing radical-scavenging activity from 4.05% in the control film to 19.70% in the film containing 0.7% resveratrol. The films also exhibited improved ultraviolet light-blocking properties while maintaining comparable moisture content, water solubility, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, and biodegradation behavior. All films showed rapid soil biodegradation, with more than 80% weight loss after 33 days. During grape storage, the resveratrol-containing film maintained the fruit quality by moderating changes in weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid content, while avoiding the quality deterioration observed in polystyrene-covered grapes during storage. These findings demonstrate that oat straw-derived cellulose films containing resveratrol combine antioxidant activity, ultraviolet light protection, biodegradability, and improved preservation performance during grape storage. The developed films show promise as sustainable antioxidant active packaging materials for fresh-produce applications. Full article

The demand for sustainable food preservation has driven the development of biodegradable alternatives to conventional, petroleum-based plastics. This study developed and evaluated bioactive starch-based films incorporated with citrus peel essential oils (lemon, orange, and tangerine) at concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 2% (w/w). The physical, chemical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of all film formulations containing 0.5–2% (w/w) essential oils were evaluated. Based on the experimental design, only the selected formulations containing 1 and 2% essential oils were subjected to structural and thermal characterization (XRD, SEM, FTIR, and TGA/DTG), transparency measurements, soil biodegradation, and phytotoxicity assays. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that oil incorporation did not alter the characteristic chemical bands of starch, indicating predominantly physical interactions. The essential oils modulated the physical and mechanical performance of the films. The films containing lemon and tangerine essential oils exhibited superior antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, soil biodegradation was concentration-dependent, with mass loss exceeding 50% within 15 days, while phytotoxicity tests confirmed the environmental safety of the degraded residues. These findings demonstrate that the developed citrus-infused starch films hold great promise as active biodegradable packaging to extend the shelf life of bakery products and mitigate plastic waste. Full article

Cannabidiol (CBD)-infused bottled water has recently become one of the new types of functional beverages in the expanding cannabinoid and nutraceutical market. This paper presents preliminary experimental observations combined with a literature-based analysis to investigate quality and stability parameters of CBD-infused bottled water. Physicochemical characterization, microbial quality analysis and stability monitoring of CBD under storage conditions were included in the experimental work. The results indicated that the formulation maintained the properties of its initial dispersion during the first period of storage. An increase in transparency and a decrease in CBD concentration were noted. Microbial counts increased during storage, suggesting that microbiological stability is limited by time under the tested conditions. Reviewing the literature underlines the significance of cannabinoid stability in aqueous beverages aided by nanoemulsion delivery systems, packaging materials and controlled storage environments. The results show that CBD can be infused into bottled water but challenges regarding formulation and storage exist. The research was not conducted to address long shelf-life, commercial scalability or compliance with regulations but to provide primary information on quality and stability factors influencing CBD beverages. More research using standardized procedures is required to understand safety, efficacy and stability over time. Full article

Kombucha is a functional beverage produced through the fermentation of Camellia sinensis by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Incorporating cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) and Cajá (Spondias mombin L.) pulps represents a value-addition strategy to mitigate the post-harvest perishability of native Cerrado fruits. This study evaluated physicochemical kinetics, 21-day refrigerated shelf life, consumer acceptance, and biological effects in Caenorhabditis elegans of flavored kombuchas. During a 9-day primary fermentation, the pH decreased to 2.95 while total acidity reached 5.38%. Following flavoring (10% v/v pulp/juice), cashew kombucha exhibited the highest total phenolic content (4.19 mg GAE/mL) and ferric reducing power (FRAP), whereas Cajá kombucha showed superior DPPH scavenging activity (1236 µM TroloxE/mL). Refrigerated storage (4 °C) maintained high counts of viable microorganisms (>10⁵ CFU/mL), though active residual fermentation induced ongoing sugar cleavage and a transient yeast proliferation peak on day 7 (8.15 log CFU/mL in Cajá kombucha). Toxicity assays using C. elegans revealed the initial mortality (31.5–62.5%); however, adjusting the pH to near-neutrality restored high organism viability (<10% mortality), confirming that mortality was acidity-driven. In pH-adjusted media, cashew kombucha promoted a modest extension of nematode lifespan, whereas Cajá kombucha reduced lipid accumulation. Sensory testing revealed moderate consumer acceptance, with cashew kombucha achieving a higher Acceptance Index (72.92%) than Cajá (67.26%). Overall, fruit supplementation enriches the bioactive potential of green tea kombucha, provided that post-fermentation acidity is appropriately managed. Full article

Pork jerky is vulnerable to quality deterioration during distribution, particularly under hot and humid conditions. This study investigated the deterioration pattern and associated mechanisms for vacuum-packaged pork jerky sealed in aluminum foil pouches during accelerated high-temperature and high-humidity storage (65 °C and relative humidity of 85%). The sensory quality, physicochemical properties, oxidation-related changes, non-enzymatic browning, and protein digestibility were evaluated, and multivariate analyses were performed to characterize the deterioration process. Sensory acceptability declined markedly, and the rejection rate reached 50% on day 14, indicating the shelf-life endpoint under the test conditions. Deterioration in quality was mainly characterized by color darkening, texture hardening, water redistribution, and microstructural disruption. Lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, myoglobin oxidation, and non-enzymatic browning progressively intensified during storage and were associated with the observed color deterioration and sensory decline. Microbiological indicators remained below the detection limit throughout storage, suggesting that quality deterioration was primarily associated with chemical rather than microbial changes. Multivariate analyses further suggested that lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, myoglobin oxidation, and non-enzymatic browning were key processes potentially associated with quality loss. These findings provide a basis for shelf-life evaluation and quality control for pork jerky under extreme storage conditions. Full article

This study presents two workflows for leveraging longitudinal computed tomography (CT) datasets when developing deep learning-based detection systems for gradually developing postharvest disorders. Workflow 1 (Longitudinal Benchmarking) benchmarks neural networks by training and testing them on images from different stages of disorder progression. It examines the trade-off between detecting a disorder early or accurately and evaluates whether neural networks can generalize across time points. Workflow 2 (Longitudinal eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) Heatmaps) provides heatmaps that indicate how changes over time affect the outcomes of neural networks. It uses image registration to align an earlier-acquired image and then uses it as a baseline when calculating the heatmap. The workflows are demonstrated on a dataset of ‘Braeburn’ apples that were CT-scanned multiple times while developing internal browning during controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage and shelf life. The Longitudinal Benchmarking workflow was used to investigate whether images acquired immediately after CA storage can be used to predict the eventual browning after a shelf-life period, which is highly relevant in industrial practice. Moreover, the longitudinal XAI heatmaps avoided artifacts caused by out-of-distribution baselines or identical baseline regions, which occurred with conventional black or zero baselines. Full article

Bamboo shoots undergo rapid postharvest quality deterioration. To evaluate the effects of organic acid treatments on the quality preservation of green bamboo (Dendrocalamopsis oldhami) shoots (GBSs) and lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox f. preveynalis) shoots (LBSs), shoots were immersed in oxalic acid (2.5, 5, 7.5 mmol·L⁻¹), ascorbic acid (28.4, 56.8, 85.2 mmol·L⁻¹), citric acid (26, 52, 78 mmol·L⁻¹), or salicylic acid (0.5, 1, 1.5 mmol·L⁻¹) for 10 min and then stored at 4 °C for 14 days. Changes in weight loss, soluble protein, soluble sugar, lignin, cellulose, taste attributes (sweetness, bitterness, astringency, umami), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were monitored. Postharvest organic acid treatments effectively preserved the storage quality of both GBSs and LBSs by reducing weight loss; suppressing lignin and cellulose increases; maintaining higher soluble protein, soluble sugar, sweetness, and umami; and inhibiting bitterness, astringency, and PAL/POD/PPO activities. Optimal treatments were variety-specific when evaluated by the principal component analysis (PCA) comprehensive evaluation model: 5 mmol·L⁻¹ oxalic acid (OA2) for GBSs, and 56.8 mmol·L⁻¹ ascorbic acid (AA2) for LBSs. In contrast, 56.8 mmol·L⁻¹ ascorbic acid (AA2) performed best for both GBSs and LBSs when evaluated by the quality index model. Further comparison revealed that the PCA comprehensive evaluation model provided a more accurate and discriminative assessment of preservation efficacy for different organic acids than the quality index model. Moreover, OA2-treated GBSs had a longer shelf life than AA2-treated LBSs. Consequently, by employing the PCA comprehensive evaluation model, this study demonstrated that 5 mmol·L⁻¹ oxalic acid can effectively preserve bamboo shoot quality, and variety-specific organic acid selection is essential for optimal storage. Full article

The present review examines markers of intrinsic antioxidant capacity in fish muscle, how these markers change after death, and the point to which their post mortem evolution is related to flesh quality and shelf life in farmed fish. Aquaculture parameters such as temperature, salinity and fish feeds can affect intrinsic antioxidant systems throughout the fish life cycle, but, in addition to the effect of aquaculture variables, the redox starting point of muscle at death can be affected by pre-slaughter stressors such as transportation, crowding, fasting, and handling. Based on the results of the studies reviewed in this work, it can be postulated that the rate of post mortem lipid and protein oxidation of fish fillets is not determined only by processes occurring after death or during storage, but may also be influenced by the antioxidant status of axial skeletal muscle. This postulation offers an important mechanistic link between (i) pre-slaughter conditions (such as aquaculture production systems, environmental factors, feeding regime, handling stress) and (ii) harvesting methods, with these two determining the oxidative stability of fish fillets via shaping the antioxidant capacity of muscle tissue. This approach highlights the value of linking nutritional, husbandry, harvesting and processing practices in order to improve fish welfare, flesh quality and shelf life. Full article

Accurate shelf-life prediction of perishable products remains challenging because quality deterioration involves multiple physicochemical changes that are not adequately captured by conventional univariate approaches. This study proposes a multivariate shelf-life prediction framework for sweet corn based on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (MCR-ALS). NIR spectra were collected from sweet corn samples and analyzed using MCR-ALS to extract chemically interpretable concentration and spectral profiles. A total of 100 and 85 corn samples were used for model training and validation, respectively. The dominant MCR-ALS component showed strong correlations with total soluble solids, dry matter, and individual sugar contents (sucrose, glucose, and fructose), effectively describing the overall quality degradation process. Based on the zero-order kinetic model, the predicted shelf lives were 41.3, 11.0, and 8.9 days at 4, 13, and 25 °C, respectively. Arrhenius analysis of the MCR-ALS concentration profile yielded a temperature-dependent degradation rate with an activation energy of 54.05 kJ mol⁻¹ (R² = 0.8387). The practical applicability of the proposed framework was further examined using a separate harvest batch of sweet corn that underwent repeated non-destructive NIR measurements throughout storage. Overall, the proposed NIR–MCR-ALS framework provides a rapid, non-destructive, and chemically interpretable approach for shelf-life prediction and postharvest quality monitoring of perishable produce. Full article