Search Results (26)

Proteomics combined with peptidomics approaches were used to analyze the protein degradation and the release pattern of umami peptides in stewed chicken. The results showed that a total of 422 proteins were identified, of which 273 proteins consistently existed in samples stewed for 0–5 h. Myosin heavy chain exhibited the highest abundance (26.29–30.26%) throughout the stewing process. The proportion of proteins under 20 kDa increased progressively with the duration of stewing and reached 61% at 4–5 h of stewing. A total of 8018 peptides were detected in the soup samples, and 2323 umami peptides were identified using the prediction platforms iUmami-SCM, UMPred-FRL, Umami_YYDS, and TastePertides-DM. Umami peptides derived from titin (accession number A0A8V0ZZ81) were determined to be the most abundant, accounting for 24% of the total umami peptides, and Val534 and Lys33639 were the key N-terminal and C-terminal amino acids of these umami peptides. Abundance analysis showed that the umami peptides KK16 and SK18 ranked among the top 5 in the samples stewed for 0–5 h, and they were most abundant in the 3 h stewed samples. The results obtained will provide data support for promoting the industrialization of high-quality chicken soup products. Full article

Background/Objectives: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are a significant global health burden, contributing to increased healthcare use, absenteeism, and economic strain. While clinical treatments exist, many individuals use traditional dietary remedies such as soup to relieve symptoms. Soup is thought to support recovery through hydration, warmth, nutritional content, and possible anti-inflammatory effects. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of soup consumption on adults with ARTIs, focusing on symptom severity, illness duration, absenteeism, immune response, inflammatory biomarkers, and overall well-being. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in February 2024 across MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, clinical trial registries, and supplementary sources. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials, and controlled before-after studies evaluating soup as an intervention for ARTIs. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023481236). Results: Four studies (n = 342) met inclusion criteria. Interventions commonly included chicken-based soups with vegetables and herbs. Comparators varied (e.g., no treatment, water, or alternative soup). Findings showed modest reductions in symptom severity and illness duration (by 1–2.5 days). Two studies reported reductions in inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP). No studies reported on absenteeism or well-being. Conclusions: Soup may offer modest benefits for ARTIs, particularly for symptom relief and inflammation. Further well-designed studies are needed to evaluate its broader clinical and functional impacts. Full article

Salt intake, specifically NaCl, should be reduced to prevent hypertension. Ramen often contains high-NaCl soup in Japan, but there are no reports of the actual sodium (Na) or potassium (K) contents. We visited ramen restaurants in Kyoto that had received high ratings on review sites and sampled the soups and toppings (n = 52). The Na and K concentrations were measured using ion electrodes, and the NaCl and K contents per serving and Na/K ratio were calculated. The results were compared among different types of “tare” (thick seasonings) (salt, soy sauce, and miso) and different types of broth (chicken, pork bone, and fish). The average NaCl and K contents per serving were 6.53 ± 1.48 g and 448 ± 141 mg, respectively, and Na/K was 10.7 ± 4.3 mmol/mmol. Considering the different broths, the Na/K ratio was the lowest for fish (9.6 ± 5.2), followed by chicken (10.0 ± 3.1) and pork bone (13.2 ± 4.8). Ramen dishes were high in both Na and the Na/K ratio. The low Na/K of fish soup ramen was thought to be due to the higher K content extracted from dried fish. Depending on the broth, it is possible to reduce the Na/K ratio. Full article

Background/Objectives: The consumption of microwave ready meals has increased significantly in recent years due to a noticeable reduction in the available time to spend cooking. However, one of the issues about this type of diet is its nutrient intake. The main objective of this study was to determine the content of macroelements (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) in samples of animal origin (omelette, chicken curry, meatballs, shredded meat, and prawns), vegetable origin (vegetable garnish, round rice, pesto pasta, cream of vegetable soup, and chickpeas with spinach), and mixed origin (pizza, lasagna, seafood paella, cannelloni, and spaghetti Bolognese). Methods: The macroelement content was determined by ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma—Optical Emission Spectrometry) in 288 samples of different microwave foods. Results: Likewise, the possible difference in the content of macroelements after the microwave heating process was studied, and significant differences in the Ca content were observed in the three analyzed food groups, indicating that there may have been migration from the container to the food. The concentrations of Na and Ca in the tails of garlic prawns (9381 ± 3102 mg Na/kg fw and 845 ± 134 mg Ca/kg fw) stood out. The vegetable side dish stood out for its higher concentration of K (3424 ± 1319 mg/kg fw). Pizza registered the highest concentrations of the four macrolements within the group of foods of mixed origin. The study of the dietary intake indicated that the consumption of some animal-based products offered a contribution to the safe and adequate intake of Na of almost 50%, which could pose a risk of dietary overdose as Na is an element found in many foods. Conclusions: It is recommended to moderate the consumption of some of the dishes analyzed mainly because of the risk of the high intake of Na. Full article

Tarhana is a popular Turkish fermented food, made of a mixture of cereal and yoghurt, generally consumed as soup. Both lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are responsible for the fermentation. The selection and proportions of ingredients integrated along with the production process specify the nutritional value and sensory properties of the final product. Therefore, the first objective of the present study was to process a dried “chicken meat powder (CMP)” that could be used in food formulations. The second objective was to determine the impact of CMP addition on the nutritional and sensorial properties of Uşak tarhana recipe with geographical indication. In order to fulfill these challenges dried chicken meat powder (CMP) at levels of 20, 25, 30, and 35% were included in tarhana recipes for the very first time. Within the scope of the study, organoleptic properties of tarhana soups (control and CMP added) were determined, and the formulation with 30% CMP (TCMP₃₀) achieved the highest sensory evaluation scores. This sample was analyzed further, and its physicochemical properties were compared to a control sample strictly following the traditional Uşak tarhana recipe. In the tarhana samples, the moisture, protein, and total fat content increased with higher CMP additions, while the ash, crude cellulose, carbohydrates, energy, salt, and dietary fiber decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The calcium and sodium contents decreased, however, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc contents increased. The fatty acid composition analysis revealed that Uşak tarhana contained more saturated fatty acids than either CMP or TCMP₃₀; adding 30% CMP reduced the total saturated fatty acids while increasing the monounsaturated fatty acids. The main fatty acids in traditional samples were linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids, comprising 83.82% of the total fat. In TCMP₃₀, the order changed to oleic > linoleic > palmitic with 83.89% of total fat. Over time, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity decreased in the control sample but increased in TCMP₃₀. These results suggest that a formulation including 30% CMP effectively enhances the sensory, functional, and nutritional aspects in tarhana. Full article

The demand for high-quality chilled chicken has continued to increase in China. Chickens are sexually dimorphic, and to better understand the specific differences in chicken production based on sex, we examined how sex affects growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of yellow-feathered chickens. Male and female Xueshan chickens were used as the experimental model. Although males exhibited better growth performance, including body weight (BW), body slope, keel, shank length, and shank girth (p < 0.05), as well as carcass traits, such as dressed weight, leg muscle, and lean meat, females had higher carcass and breast muscle yields (p < 0.05). Males had higher follicle density and yellowness (b*) of the skin and better skin than females (p < 0.05). Among blood biochemical parameters, the serum content of corticosterone (CORT) was higher in males, while those of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and catalase (CAT) were lower in males than in females (p < 0.05). The pH levels, shear force, and moisture content quality were better in male breast meat, while the intramuscular fat content (IMF) was lower in males than in females (p < 0.05). The redness (a*) and moisture content were higher in male leg meat, while the pH, water-loss rate (WLR), lightness (L*), and IMF were lower (p < 0.05). The muscle fiber diameter and cross-sectional area were also higher in males (p < 0.05). Consumers felt that soup of male chicken was better than female (p < 0.05), while mouthfeel and tenderness acceptance of breast meat were different between the sexes. These results indicate that female chickens can be marketed as a whole carcass, while males are more suitable for processed carcass products. This study provides significant insights into the production and processing methodologies of yellow-feathered chickens. Full article

As a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) is commonly used to treat common diseases, for example, esophageal cancer and myasthenia gravis. Furthermore, ginseng is also processed into a functional food additive that is utilized to improve the freshness of chicken soup and make health wine. Unfortunately, ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) has already shown a noticeable bitterness during its application process. In this research, the bitter substances in ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) after two common preparation processes (water extraction and ethanol extraction) were separated, purified and identified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC), high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD), ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and an electronic tongue. The results indicated that compared with the other four bitter compounds, the ginsenoside Rb1 had the highest bitterness value, followed by 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg2, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rf and ginsenoside Rb3. Upon the evaluation of results to reduce the bitterness of ginseng extract, we found that the composite embedding system of chitosan adsorption in the ginseng carrageenan gel microsphere (K/M_C/M_CG) could effectively reduce the bitterness. Full article

A single combi oven, known for its versatility, is an excellent choice for a variety of chicken soup preparations. However, the impact of universal steam ovens on the flavor quality of chicken soup remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the impact of different cooking methods on the aroma and taste of chicken soup. Three cooking methods with various stewing times were compared: ceramic pot (CP), electric pressure cooker (EPC), and combi oven (CO). Analyses were conducted using electron-nose, electron-tongue, gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS), automatic amino acid analysis, and chemometric methods. A total of 14 amino acids, including significant umami contributors, were identified. The taste components of CP and CO chicken soups were relatively similar. In total, 39 volatile aroma compounds, predominantly aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols, were identified. Aldehydes were the most abundant compounds, and 23 key aroma compounds were identified. Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed distinct correlations between various amino acids (e.g., glutamic acid and serine) and specific volatile compounds. The aroma compounds from the CP and CO samples showed similarities. The results of this study provide a reference for the application of one-touch cooking of chicken soup in versatile steam ovens. Full article

To complement classical methods for identifying Japanese, Chinese, and Western dietary styles, this study aimed to develop a machine learning model. This study utilized 604 features from 8183 cooking recipes based on a Japanese recipe site. The data were randomly divided into training, validation, and test sets for each dietary style at a 60:20:20 ratio. Six machine learning models were developed in this study to effectively classify cooking recipes according to dietary styles. The evaluation indicators were above 0.8 for all models in each dietary style. The top ten features were extracted from each model, and the features common to three or more models were employed as the best predictive features. Five well-predicted features were indicated for the following seasonings: soy sauce, miso (fermented soy beans), and mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) in the Japanese diet; oyster sauce and doubanjiang (chili bean sauce) in the Chinese diet; and olive oil in the Western diet. Predictions by broth were indicated in each diet, such as dashi in the Japanese diet, chicken soup in the Chinese diet, and consommé in the Western diet. The prediction model suggested that seasonings and broths could be used to predict dietary styles. Full article

The protein and fat in chicken skeleton can be emulsified in a boiling state to form milky white chicken soup. White chicken soup has a delicious taste, good nutritional value, a beautiful color, and volatile flavor compounds. However, cooking time significantly impacts the quality of white chicken soup. Herein, we investigated the influence of cooking time (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 min) on the migration of nutrient substances and characteristics changes in white chicken soup from chicken skeletons. The results showed that nutrients such as total lipids, water-soluble protein, total sugars, solid matter, and oligopeptides in the chicken skeletons’ tissue continuously migrated into the soup during the cooking process. The total nutrient content in the chicken soup was highest after cooking for 180 min. Simultaneously, the white chicken soup obtained after cooking for 180 min had low interfacial tension and high whiteness, viscosity, and storage stability. The high stability index was associated with increased ζ potential and decreased particle size. The contact angle analysis results also indicated that the stability of the white chicken soup was improved when the cooking time reached 180 min. This research provides basic information for the production of high-quality white chicken soup. Full article

Edible mushroom has attracted increasing attention as a natural flavor enhancer. This research studied sensory flavor profiles and identified umami taste-related compounds in split gill mushroom extract (SGME) using descriptive analysis and chemical analysis, respectively. The effects of SGME on taste enhancement as perceived by trained descriptive panelists and general consumers were evaluated in salt solutions and clear chicken soups. The results showed that SGME had mushroom, bitter aromatic, dark brown, meaty, and musty flavor notes and salty and umami tastes. Glutamic acid, aspartic acids, adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP), and guanosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP) contributed to SGME’s umami taste. As perceived by trained panelists, saltiness enhancement caused by SGME in aqueous solutions occurred only at relatively low salt concentrations (0.3 and 0.5%), while its umami enhancement effect was more pronounced. When SGME was added into reduced-salt seasoned clear chicken soups, it helped to enhance both the salty and umami tastes of the soups. The 20–31.25% reduced-salt soups with 12.5% of SGME were rated as salty as (p > 0.05) the control soup with regular salt content as perceived by both trained panelists and general consumers. The results suggest that SGME could be used as a natural flavor enhancer in the development of reduced-salt foods. Full article

Reducing population-level sodium intake can reduce hypertension, an important preventative strategy to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in the United States. Considering that most dietary sodium is derived from prepackaged foods, this study quantitatively estimates the proportion contribution and mean sodium intake from key food category contributors to total sodium intake in the US population. Data from the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which collected interviewer-administered 24 h dietary recalls from Americans (n = 7081), were analyzed. Based on the average proportion contributed, the top 15 sources of sodium were identified overall and by age/sex, poverty–income and race/ethnicity. More than 50% of US population-level dietary sodium intake was contributed by: pizza (5.3%); breads, rolls and buns (4.7%); cold cuts and cured meats (4.6%); soups (4.4%); burritos and tacos (4.3%); savoury snacks (4.1%); poultry (4.0%); cheese (3.1%); pasta mixed dishes (2.9%); burgers (2.5%); meat mixed dishes (2.5%); cookies, brownies and cakes (2.4%); bacon, frankfurters and sausages (2.4%); vegetables (2.2%); and chicken nuggets (1.5%), with the results remaining consistent among population subgroups. The results identified the top sources of sodium in the American population overall, as well as in key population subgroups, which can inform policies and programs aimed at reducing sodium intake. Full article

A nontargeted fingerprinting approach combined with the chemometrics method and sensory analysis was used to assess the differences in taste-chemical compositions of chicken breast soup with different ages and their sensory qualities. The sensory evaluation results showed that the overall taste as well as the sourness, saltiness, and umami scores of the soup were increased with the age of chicken. Fifty-nine compounds were identified from four soup samples by liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS/MS), and their total content was the highest in the 90 wk soup samples. Six upregulated compounds (carnosine, hypoxanthine, inosine, inosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-IMP), adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP), and lactic acid) were identified as potential contributors to the taste characteristics of the 90 wk soup samples by orthogonal projections to latent structures–discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Additional experiments showed that 5′-AMP particularly contributed to the sourness of the soup, while carnosine contributed to the saltiness and umami of the soup. Full article

Instant soups and noodles are one of the most widely consumed commercial food products. These products are made from ingredients of animal (chicken, meat) and/or vegetable origin, in addition to various food additives that prolong the shelf life of the product. It should be noted that instant soups are a dehydrated product, whose water-removal process can increase the accumulation of contaminants, such as toxic metals (Al, Cd, or Pb), that are harmful to the health of consumers. The content of toxic metals (Al, Cd, and Pb) in a total of 130 samples of instant soups of different types (poultry, meat, and vegetables) was determined by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry). The Al content (32.28 ± 19.26), the Cd content (0.027 ± 0.016), and the Pb content (0.12 ± 0.13) in the vegetable soups were worth mentioning. Considering an intake of twenty grams (recommended by the manufacturer), the dietary intake of Al (19.56% of the TWI set at 1 mg/kg bw/week), the intake of Cd (6.59% of the TWI set at 2.5 µg/kg bw/week), and the Pb intake (16.18% of the BMDL set for nephrotoxic effects at 0.63 µg/kg bw/week and 6.84% of the BMDL set for cardiovascular effects at 1.50 µg/kg bw/week) in the population aged 3–10 years, instant soups are not recommended for the population aged 3–10 years, while their consumption does not pose a health risk for adults. However, it is necessary to consider the cooking water used in the preparation of these products, as it may increase exposure to these toxic metals, in addition to the rest of the diet. Full article

“Anti-chicken soup” (ACS) persuades people to yield to reality and give up rather than encouraging people to work hard as “chicken soup” does. The current study explored whether people with a higher level of relative deprivation (RD) would be more likely to endorse ACS. We found that people with high-measured (Study 1) and manipulated (Study 2) RD were more likely to endorse ACS. Study 2 also suggested that the effect was mediated by self-handicapping. It seems that relatively deprived individuals may adopt the strategy of self-handicapping so that they could attribute their failure to external causes, which in turn leads to lower motivation to try their best and ultimately the endorsement of ACS. Full article