Search Results (11)

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is valued for its health-promoting compounds, many of which remain in the pomace after juice extraction. Berry pomace can be considered a valuable source of dietary fiber. However, it is typically dominated by insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), and the soluble-to-insoluble fiber ratio is often nutritionally suboptimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of enzymatic hydrolysis on the composition and technological properties of blackcurrant pomace (BCP). Three commercial enzyme preparations—Viscozyme^® L, Celluclast^® 1.5 L, and Pectinex^® Ultra Tropical (Novozymes A/S, Denmark)—were used for enzymatic hydrolysis, which was conducted at 50 °C for 1 h. The enzymatic treatments altered BCP’s chemical composition and technological properties. Pectinex^® Ultra Tropical and Viscozyme^® L primarily hydrolyzed SDF, while Celluclast^® 1.5 L was more effective on IDF, resulting in increased SDF content and an improved SDF/IDF ratio. Enzymatic hydrolysis reduced the oil retention capacity and impaired stabilizing properties, but it increased both the water retention capacity and the solubility index. It was found that the creaming index of the pomace deteriorated with decreased IDF content. The findings indicate that the effects of enzymatic modification on BCP’s composition and technological properties can vary significantly, supporting its potential application in the development of novel food products. Full article

In this study, the quality and health-promoting components in rhubarb products sweetened with isomaltulose and enriched with fruit (apple, chokeberry, black currant) and vegetable (beetroot, carrot) pomace were assessed. All products with added pomace had higher levels of ash (27–65%) and macro- and microelements (5–436% and 5–333%) compared to the sample without pomace. The addition of pomace also increased the total antioxidant activity. The addition of pomace increased the value of gel strength (Fe) by 22–73% compared to the control; the highest value was found in the product enriched with chokeberry pomace (1.71 N). Red (a* > 0) and yellow (b* > 0) dominated all products, and values of the L* parameter ranged from 7.81 to 37.54. The brightest were the products with added carrot, apple, and beet pomace, while the darkest were those containing chokeberry and blackcurrant pomace. The values of the texture parameters decreased after storage, but to a lesser extent in the products with pomace; however, the products with pomace maintained greater antioxidant activity and retained beneficial components better than those without. A slight darkening of the products and a decrease in the proportion of red (a*) and yellow (b*) color was also observed. Full article

Pomace, a waste product, generates a huge problem in the fruit and vegetable industry. Numerous studies prove that pomace and fibre are valuable sources of many nutrients. Due to their properties, their popularity is growing in many industries. Water vapour isotherms and kinetics were determined for selected fruit fibre and pomace. The activity and water content, colour, apparent and bulk density, and material structure were also investigated. In addition, the thermal stability of the tested fibres and pomace was examined. Fibre and pomace from chokeberries, apples and currants were used in the research. The determined kinetic curves proved that apple fibre absorbed more water vapour. The isotherms were found to have a shape characteristic of type III sorption isotherms. The Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer model (GAB) described experimental data for sorption isotherms well (taking an RMS value of less than 10% as a good fit of the model to the sorption data). Thermogravimetric analysis showed good thermal stability, and all analysed fruit fibre and pomace showed similar behaviour in the three main stages of weight loss. The results suggest that the analysed waste materials can be used for different applications, including flour replacements for food products or filling materials in edible packaging films. Full article

Pomace is a by-product resulting from the pressing of fruits and vegetables into juices, and it is typically treated as waste. Interestingly, pomace contains minimal amounts of protein and fat but is characterized by its high polyphenol and dietary fiber contents, which may have health benefits for human physiology. Therefore, they are a potentially attractive raw material for the food industry, but to our knowledge, no smoothies with their addition have been prepared and described so far. Consequently, products derived from apple juice, incorporating different doses of fresh (6% and 12%) and dried (3% and 6%) black or red currant pomace, were formulated, and their physical properties, chemical composition, bioactive compound content, and health-promoting potential (in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activity) were evaluated. Additionally, the products underwent sensory assessment by consumers. The fortified beverages exhibited different physical characteristics and chemical compositions than apple juice. All smoothies were characterized by higher concentrations of anthocyanins, flavonols, and procyanidin polymers compared to the base product. Moreover, 75% of them exhibited a significantly elevated phenolic acid content as well as a higher concentration of flavan-3-ols. The majority of fresh smoothies exhibited significantly higher in vitro antioxidant capacities and increased in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects compared to the base product. The highest ABTS activity was recorded in the variant with 6% dried black currant pomace. In turn, the smoothie with 3% dried red currant pomace had the most effective FRAP effect and, together with the product containing 12% fresh black currant pomace, ORAC antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibition also. The introduction of 6% dried red currant pomace led to the creation of a beverage that most effectively inhibited α-glucosidase. The study showed that the application of various types of pomace, mainly that of black currant, into apple juice enables the development of new functional products with sensory attributes that are favorably evaluated by consumers. Full article

Plant pomaces in suitable forms (powders, extracts) can be used in foods of animal origin to increase the nutritional value and safety of these foods. In the present study, water extracts of apple, black currant, rhubarb and tomato pomaces were used in fish marinade solutions to evaluate their effect on the growth dynamics of microorganisms and the growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes by challenge testing. The results showed that mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts and moulds remained at acceptable levels throughout the predetermined storage period. The challenge test results showed that the overall growth potential of L. monocytogenes in all marinated rainbow trout samples remained at ≤0.5 log₁₀ cfu/g during the study period, and none of the marinated fish samples supported the growth of L. monocytogenes. In addition, the effect of fruit and berry pomaces on the sensory properties of marinated rainbow trout samples was evaluated. The results revealed that it is possible to effectively use fruit and berry pomaces in marinated fish products, ensuring food safety, high microbiological quality, acceptable sensory characteristics and a sufficiently long shelf life of the products. Full article

Plums (Prunus domestica); red currants (Ribes rubrum); black currants (Ribes nigrum); gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa); sour cherries (Prunus cerasus); pumpkins (Cuccurbita spp.) are sources for valuable fruit- and berry-juice and cider production. This process leaves a large number of by-products (BP) in the form of pomace, which accounts for up to 80% of the raw material. This by-product represents a rich source of biologically active compounds, especially in the form of different pectic polysaccharides. The pectin extracted from commercial fruits such as citric fruits and apples has high medicinal properties, can be used as edible films and coatings, and is also useful in texture improvement and gel production in the food industry. However, many under-utilized fruits have received little attention regarding the extraction and characterization of their high/value pectin from their by-products. Moreover, the commercial extraction process involving strong acids and high temperature to obtain high-purity pectin leads to the loss of many bioactive components, and these lost components are often compensated for by the addition of synthetic antioxidants and colorants. The aim of the research is to extract pectin from juice production by-products with hot-water extraction using weak organic (0.1 N) citric acid, thus minimizing the impact on the environment. The yield of pectin (PY = 4.47–17.8% DM), galacturonic acid content (47.22–83.57 g 100⁻¹), ash content (1.42–2.88 g 100 g⁻¹), degree of esterification (DE = 45.16–64.06%), methoxyl content (ME = 4.27–8.13%), the total content of phenolic compounds (TPC = 2.076–4.668 µg mg⁻¹, GAE) and the antiradical scavenging activity of the pectin samples (DPPH method (0.56–37.29%)) were determined. Free and total phenolic acids were quantified by saponification using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The pectin contained phenolic acids—benzoic (0.25–0.92 µg mg⁻¹), gallic (0.14–0.57 µg mg⁻¹), coumaric (0.04 µg mg⁻¹), and caffeic (0.03 µg mg⁻¹). The pectin extracts from by-products showed glucose and galactose (3.89–21.72 g 100 g⁻¹) as the main neutral sugar monosaccharides. Pectin analysis was performed using FT-IR, and the rheological properties of the pectin gels were determined. The quality of the obtained pectin from the fruit and berry by-products in terms of their high biological activity and high content of glucuronic acids indicated that the products have the potential to be used as natural ingredients in various food products and in pharmaceutical products. Full article

Dietary fiber may contribute to increasing the nutritional value of “unhealthy food”—for instance, spreads with high fat and sugar content. The high amount of fiber and the presence of phenolic compounds, organic fruit acids, and aroma compounds make currant pomace a promising ingredient to be used in a wide range of foods. However, the particle size of this by-product is a key factor influencing texture, rheology, physical stability, and sensory properties of the final commodities. Wet planetary ball milling of seedless currant pomace suspended in oil resulted in particles <30 µm, which is required for a creamy texture. Spread stiffness and viscosity were adapted by lowering the solid fat content in a way that the fruity spreads with 16 g/100 g pomace resembled a sweet commercial nut spread. The pomace showed stabilizing effects, as oil separation was reduced and a viscosity increase during storage was prevented. Principal component analysis after sensory flash profiling of five formulations highlighted differences in fruitiness, sweetness, greasiness, and viscosity. Hence, depending on the pomace level and fat composition in the formulation, the properties of sweet spreads can be specifically designed to fulfill the respective requirements. Additionally, sweet and savory wafer fillings provide great potential to be enriched with fruit pomace. Full article

Constantly growing amounts of food waste act as an encouragement to find new solutions to recover valuable components. Fruit industry by-products, such as pomaces obtained after juice pressing, are a source of bioactive compounds, e.g., polyphenols, which are known as anti- oxidative molecules. The process of bioactive compound extraction may be, however, harmful to the environment and energy-consuming. In the following study, sonication was used to improve extraction efficiency and decrease energy and organic solvent consumption. Black currant and chokeberry pomaces obtained as by-products of juice pressing were dried. Bioactive extracts were collected in ultrasound-assisted processes, which were conducted using an ultrasonic homogenizer, applying different parameters of ultrasound amplitudes (30%, 55%, and 80%) and times of sonication (2 min, 6 min, and 10 min) and using water as an extractant. The total polyphenol content of the extracts was determined in a Folin–Ciocalteu assay and their antioxidant capacity of them was determined in an ABTS study. The values of the total polyphenol content were significantly higher when sonication was applied, reaching an over 1.7-fold higher value of polyphenol content in the chokeberry extract when an 80% amplitude and 10 min time of the ultrasound treatment was implemented, compared to the control (maceration with water). According to the literature, the main groups of polyphenols found in chokeberry pomace are anthocyanins, followed by phenolic acids and flavonols, and black currant pomace consists mainly of anthocyanins. Differences in antioxidant capacity values were also significant, reaching a maximum level of 13.7 μmol Trolox equivalent/ml of chokeberry extract and 20.5 μmol Trolox equivalent/ml of black currant extract. Both of the highest results were noted when an 80% amplitude and 10 min time of ultrasound treatment were applied. Alternative extraction methods accelerate the extraction process and allow bioactive compound-rich extracts to be obtained from the berry fruit by-products. Full article

Grape pomace and berries represent natural sources of phytochemicals that can increase the quality of life of consumers by contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases; thus, the development of a dietary supplement was necessary. The raw material (r.m.) used for the development of the dietary supplement consisted of dried and powdered bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), red currants (Ribes rubrum L.), and red fermented pomaces (Vitis vinifera L.) from Feteasca Neagra and Cabernet Sauvignon cultivars. The particle size distribution, powder flow, total phenolic content (TPC), HPLC-DAD phenolic profile assessment, and radical scavenging assay (RSA) were employed for the analysis of the raw material. After encapsulation, the average mass and uniformity of mass, the disintegration, and the uniformity of content for the obtained capsules were performed to obtain a high-quality dietary supplement. All the assays performed complied to the compendial requirements and the TPC was determined at 9.07 ± 0.25 mg gallic acid equivalents/g r.m. and RSA at 48.32 ± 0.74%. The highest quantities of phenolic compounds determined were 333.7 ± 0.50 µg/g r.m. for chlorogenic acid, followed by rutin, ferulic acid, and (+)-catechin with 198.9 ± 1.60 µg/g r.m., 179.8 ± 0.90 µg/g r.m. and 118.7 ± 0.75 µg/g r.m., respectively. The results of this study can be used for the manufacturing and assessing of pilot scale-up capsule batches and thinking of quality assurance, we recommend that the industrial batch extracts should be standardized in polyphenols, and the manufacturing process should be validated. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the dried pomace powder of cranberries, lingonberries, sea buckthorns, and black currants as potential food ingredients with functional properties. The composition and several physicochemical and adsorption properties associated with their functionality were investigated. Tested berry pomace powders were rich in dietary soluble fiber (4.92–12.74 g/100 g DM) and insoluble fiber (40.95–65.36 g/100 g DM). The highest level of total phenolics was observed in the black currant pomace (11.09 GAE/g DM), whereas the sea buckthorn pomace revealed the highest protein concentration (21.09 g/100 g DM). All the berry pomace powders that were tested exhibited good water-holding capacity (2.78–4.24 g/g) and swelling capacity (4.99–9.98 mL/g), and poor oil-binding capacity (1.09–1.57 g/g). The strongest hypoglycemic properties were observed for the lingonberry and black currant pomace powders. The berry pomace powders presented effective in vitro hypolipidemic properties. The cholesterol-binding capacities ranged from 21.11 to 23.13 mg/g. The black currant and cranberry pomace powders demonstrated higher sodium-cholate-binding capacity than those of the lingonberry and sea buckthorn pomace powders. This study shows promising results that the powders of tested berry pomace could be used for further application in foods. Full article

The annual potential of waste biomass production from food processing in Europe is 16.9 million tonnes. Unfortunately, most of these organic wastes are utilized without the energy gain, mainly due to the high moisture content and the ability to the fast rotting and decomposition. One of the options to increase its value in terms of energy applications is to valorize its properties. Torrefaction process is one of the pre-treatment technology of raw biomass that increases the quality of the fuel, especially in the context of resistance to moisture absorption. However, little is known about the influence of torrefaction temperature on the degree of valorization of some specific waste biomass. The aim of this paper was to analyze the influence of the temperature of the torrefaction on the hydrophobic properties of waste biomass, such as black currant pomace, apple pomace, orange peels, walnut shells, and pumpkin seeds. The torrefaction process was carried out at temperatures of 200 °C, 220 °C, 240 °C, 260 °C, 280 °C, and 300 °C. The hydrophobic properties were analyzed using the water drop penetration time (WDPT) test. The torrefied waste biomass was compared with the raw material dried at 105 °C. The obtained results revealed that subjecting the biomass to the torrefaction process improved its hydrophobic properties. Biomass samples changed their hydrophobic properties from hydrophilic to extremely hydrophobic depending on the temperature of the process. Apple pomace was the most hydrophilic sample; its water drop penetration was under 60 s. Black currant and apple pomaces reached extremely hydrophobic properties at a temperature of 300 °C, only. In the case of orange peels, walnut shells, and pumpkin seeds, already at the temperature of 220 °C, the samples were characterized by severely hydrophobic properties with a penetration time over 1000 s. At the temperature of 260 °C, orange peels, walnut shells, and pumpkin seeds reached extremely hydrophobic properties. Furthermore, in most cases, the increase of torrefaction temperature improved the resistance to moisture absorption, which is probably related to the removal of hydroxyl groups and structural changes occurring during this thermal process. Full article