Search Results (231)

Nutrition plays a fundamental role in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases, with bioactive food components offering a therapeutic potential in biomedical applications. Among these, edible oils are recognised for their functional properties, which contribute to disease prevention and metabolic regulation. The proposed study aims to evaluate the quality of four bioactive oils (olive oil, sunflower oil, tomato seed oil, and pumpkin seed oil) by analysing their thermal behaviour through infrared (IR) imaging. The study designed a customised electronic system to acquire thermographic signals under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. The acquisition system was used to extract thermal data. Analysis of the acquired thermal signals revealed characteristic heat absorption profiles used to infer differences in oil properties related to stability and degradation potential. A hybrid deep learning model that integrates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) units was used to classify and differentiate the oils based on stability, thermal reactivity, and potential health benefits. A signal analysis showed that the AI-based method improves both the accuracy (achieving an F1-score of 93.66%) and the repeatability of quality assessments, providing a non-invasive and intelligent framework for the validation and traceability of nutritional compounds. Full article

Sunflower is one of the four most important oilseed crops in the world, and its edible oil is of high nutritional quality. However, the molecular regulatory mechanism of oil accumulation in sunflowers is still unclear. In this study, we selected two inbred lines with significant differences in oleic acid content and similar agronomic traits: the high oleic acid content (82.5%) inbred line 227 and the low oleic acid content (30.8%) inbred line 228. Sunflower seeds were selected for transcriptome experiments at 10, 20, and 30 days after full bloom (DAFB). There were 21, 225, and 632 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified at the three times, respectively. The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that DEGs from two sunflower cultivars at three stages were significantly enriched in the activities of omega-6 fatty acid desaturase and glucosyltransferase. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis found that at 10, 20, and 30 DAFB, DEGs were significantly enriched in the unsaturated fatty acid synthesis pathway, glutathione metabolism pathway, and pyruvate metabolism pathway. Through mapping analysis of GO in the KEGG pathway, it was found that the omega-6 fatty acid desaturase gene FAD6/FAD2, diacylglyceroyltransferase gene DGAT, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase gene GPAT, and long-chain acyl-CoA synthase gene LACS may play important roles in regulating sunflower oleic acid content. Our research provides candidate genes and a research basis for breeding high oleic sunflowers. Full article

Petroleum-based insulating liquids have traditionally been used in the electrical industry for cooling and insulation. However, their environmental drawbacks, such as non-biodegradability and ecological risks, have led to increasing regulatory restrictions. As a sustainable alternative, vegetable-based insulating liquids have gained attention due to their biodegradability, non-toxicity to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and lower carbon emissions. Adopting vegetable-based insulating liquids also aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 and 13, which focus on cleaner energy sources and reducing carbon emissions. Despite these benefits, most commercially available vegetable-based insulating liquids are derived from edible seed oils, raising concerns about food security and the environmental footprint of large-scale agricultural production, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, waste cooking oils (WCOs) have emerged as a promising resource for industrial applications through waste-to-value conversion processes. However, their potential as transformer insulating liquids remains largely unexplored due to limited research and available data. This review explores the feasibility of utilizing waste cooking oils as green transformer insulating liquids. It examines the conversion and purification processes required to enhance their suitability for insulation applications, evaluates their dielectric and thermal performance, and assesses their potential implementation in transformers based on existing literature. The objective is to provide a comprehensive assessment of waste cooking oil as an alternative insulating liquid, highlight key challenges associated with its adoption, and outline future research directions to optimize its properties for high-voltage transformer applications. Full article

Phytosterols (PS) have specific oxidation rules in different lipid media. After oxidation, PS will form oxidation products, which has potential physiological toxicity to the human body. Camellia seed oil (CSO) is a unique emerging edible oil in China. This oil has a fatty acid composition similar to olive oil, in which oleic acid is dominant. In order to solve the thermal oxidation of PS in CSO at high temperature (180 °C), we studied its antioxidant strategy by evaluating different antioxidants. Four antioxidants—BHA, TBHQ, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and α-tocopherol (VE)—along with one synergist, citric acid (CA), were selected and used in this study. The antioxidant effects of different combinations (single antioxidant, single antioxidant + CA, mixed antioxidant, mixed antioxidant + CA) were compared. After 180 min of heating, the PS and phytosterols oxidation products (7α-hydroxy-, 7β-hydroxy-, 5α,6α-epoxy-, 5β,6β-epoxy-, 7-keto-, and trihydroxy-PS) were estimated by GC-MS. Through comparative analysis, the results showed that the combination of mixed antioxidants and CA had the best antioxidant effect, and the inhibition rate of VE + TBHQ +CA was as high as 42%, which had a breakthrough significance for stabilizing the thermal oxidation of PS in camellia seed oil. At the same time, it also provides a valuable reference for ensuring the edible safety of camellia seed oil in Chinese food heating habits. Full article

Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are regarded as an important ingredient for functional foods and nutraceuticals. Cinnamomum camphora seed kernel oil (CCSKO) contains more than 95% medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which is a significantly higher level than palm kernel oil (62%) and coconut oil (55%). However, the safety assessment of CCSKO, as the only natural MCT oil rich in capric acid and lauric acid found so far in the world, has not been fully verified. The study aimed to investigate the 90-day sub-chronic oral toxicity and teratogenicity of CCSKO. In the sub-chronic oral toxicity study, no clinically significant adverse events occurred in male or female Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats with CCSKO daily administration for 13 weeks. Moreover, there were no dose–response relationships between CCSKO and body-weight gain, food intake and food utilization in male or female SD rats. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in the hematological properties or organ weights between the male and female SD rats. In the teratogenicity test, no toxicological signs were observed in either Wister pregnant rats or fetuses. The no-observed-adverse-effect level of CCSKO was determined to be more than 4 mL/kg body weight. These results suggested that CCSKO may be an excellent edible oil with high oral safety. Full article

Oil-tea (Camellia oleifera), a typical oilseed tree, produces high-quality edible vegetable oils that contain rich unsaturated fatty acids and diverse lipid-soluble active compounds such as squalene. Although squalene biosynthesis and its molecular regulation have been studied in several plants, the molecular mechanisms underlying squalene biosynthesis in oil-tea seeds remain uncertain. We investigated and determined squalene accumulation with seed development. We conducted comparative transcriptomic analyses using the RNA-seq technique at the early, fast biosynthesis, and late stages of squalene accumulation with oil-tea seed development and identified 13 squalene biosynthesis key enzyme genes (such as CoHMGR_4, CoAACT_2, CoFPS_1, and CoFPS_2) in developing oil-tea seeds. According to whether the expressions of key enzyme genes were associated with squalene accumulation we found that the precursor IPP of squalene biosynthesis obtained via the MVA pathway was dominant with oil-tea seed development. Based on the gene co-expression analyses, we identified multiple transcription factors potentially involved in regulating squalene biosynthesis such as CoMYC2, CoREM39, CobZIP5, CoERF and CoWRKY. Using yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assay experiments we demonstrated that the transcription factor CoMYC2 could activate the expression of a key enzyme gene CoHMGR_4, suggesting that CoMYC2 might be a critical regulator during squalene biosynthesis in oil-tea seed development. This study gives not only insights into understanding the molecular basis of squalene biosynthesis in oil-tea developing seeds but also provides gene resources for developing genetically improved varieties with higher content of squalene in oil-tea. Full article

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) processing generates significant byproducts, with seeds emerging as a promising resource due to their rich content of oils, proteins, phenolic compounds and minerals. This comprehensive review critically evaluates the existing literature on the characterization of pepper seeds, highlighting their significant nutritional value and diverse bioactive constituents. The substantial oil content, characterized by a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and oleic acids, positions pepper seeds as a valuable source for edible oil and potential biofuel production. In addition, the presence of significant amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fibre and essential amino acids underlines their potential for the development of functional foods and dietary supplements. The current review also summarizes the findings on the phenolic profile and antioxidant activities of pepper seeds, indicating their relevance for nutraceutical and cosmetic applications. Finally, the potential utilization of pepper seeds in various agri-food industrial applications, such as food condiments, biostimulants, and biomass for energy, is discussed, promoting sustainability and a circular bioeconomy approach to valorise this underutilized resource. This systematic review summarizes current knowledge, identifies knowledge gaps, and highlights the potential of pepper seeds as a sustainable and economically viable alternative in multiple sectors. Full article

This study aims to optimize the production of biodiesel from Blighia sapida (Ackee) seed oil, a non-edible and underutilized feedstock, as a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-based diesel fuels. The transesterification of Blighia sapida seed oil was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box–Behnken experimental design. Three process variables, reaction time, temperature, and methanol-to-oil molar ratio, were selected for modeling biodiesel yield. The resulting biodiesel was characterized by physicochemical properties in accordance with ASTM D6751 standards. The optimal transesterification conditions were found to be 60 min, 60 °C, and a methanol-to-oil ratio of 3:1, yielding 98.36% biodiesel. This represents an improvement over the unoptimized yield of 94.3% at a 6:1 molar ratio. Experimental validation produced an average yield of 97.49%, confirming the model’s reliability. The produced biodiesel exhibited a kinematic viscosity of 4.02 mm²/s, cetane number of 54.6, flash point of 138 °C, and acid value of 0.421 mg KOH/g, which are all within the ASTM D6751 standard limits. This work is among the first to systematically optimize Blighia sapida biodiesel production using RSM. The results demonstrate its viability as a clean-burning, high-quality biodiesel fuel with promising fuel properties and environmental benefits. Its high cetane number and low methanol requirement enhance its combustion performance and production efficiency, positioning Blighia sapida as a competitive feedstock for sustainable biofuel development. Full article

In this study, a new edible gel of Perilla essential oil (PE)/grape seed extract (GSE)–chitosan/gelatin was prepared, and it was applied to the preservation of silver carp. By establishing a fuzzy mathematical model, using a single-factor experiment and Box–Behnken response surface optimization combined with matlab analysis, the optimum preparation conditions of composite gel films were determined: the addition of PE (p < 0.01) was 6.91 μL/mL, the addition of GSE (p < 0.05) was 0.45 mg/mL, and the addition of gelatin (p > 0.05) was 1.63%. Under these conditions, the composite gel films exhibited an excellent water vapor barrier and mechanical properties. Using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, it was found that the addition of PE enhanced or weakened the absorption peaks, indicating the molecular interaction between PE and the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observed that the surfaces of the composite gel films with added PE were smooth, but there were a few pores in the cross-section. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that PE had good compatibility with other components. The fresh-keeping experiment showed that the composite gel films could significantly prolong the fresh-keeping period of grass carp. After 10 days of storage at 4 °C, compared with the blank group (without plastic wrap) and the control group (with composite gel film, no PE added), the experimental group (with composite gel films, PE added) showed better fresh-keeping effect in terms of sensory score, moisture content, pH value, TBARS value, and TVB-N value (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis further confirmed the positive effects of composite gel films on water content, pH value, TVB-N, and other quality indexes of silver carp, indicating that the composite gel films will have broad application prospects in the food preservation field. This study provides an innovative basis and theoretical basis for the development and application of natural polysaccharide/protein composite edible film, which is helpful to promote the development of green food-packaging materials. Full article

Brassica species evolved through recurrent polyploidization and chromosomal rearrangements, forming diploid progenitors that hybridize into allopolyploids. These plants exhibit remarkable morphological diversity, with specialized edible organs including leaf-, stem-, root-, and oil-type cultivars, yet cross-species multi-organ transcriptomic studies elucidating their gene expression similarities and divergences remain lacking. To address this gap, we analyzed publicly available transcriptomes (downloaded from NCBI SRA) from eight organs (embryo, seed coat, silique, root, stem, leaf, flower and seedling) across six U’s Triangle species (Brassica rapa, B. nigra, B. oleracea, B. juncea, B. napus, B. carinata), revealing that (1) reproductive organs show higher gene expression conservation (GEC), particularly embryos (p < 0.05); (2) lineage-specific subgenome dominance patterns (BnaC/BjuB/BcaC) persist across organs; and (3) ancestral subgenomes functionally specialize, with MF2-subgenome transcription factors (YABBY/GRF) regulating embryogenesis and LF/MF1-subgenome MYBs controlling seed coat development. Comparative analyses demonstrate floral GEC exceeds that of the Arabidopsis thaliana homologs, while also exhibiting seed-specific divergence patterns. This study establishes a comprehensive Brassica multispecies expression atlas, elucidating organ-specific evolutionary conservation principles and providing molecular insights into subgenome functional partitioning, which offers valuable perspectives for understanding Brassica evolutionary mechanisms and crop improvement strategies. Full article

Due to the increasing demand for sustainable energy, non-edible oilseed crops are being explored as alternatives to traditional edible oils. Annona squamosa seeds are rich in oil content (24%/100 g) and often discarded as agricultural waste. Determination of mechanical properties of the seeds under compression loading is significant for designing machinery for its handling and processing. Thus, the present study assessed the effect of loading speeds, $LS,$ (5.0–25 mm/min) and moisture contents, $ms,$ (8.0–32.5%, db) on rupture force and energy, bioyield force and energy, deformation, and hardness at the seed’s horizontal and vertical orientations using a Testometric Universal Testing Machine. The results indicate that both $LS$ and $mc$ significantly ($p<0.05$) affect the mechanical properties of the seeds. Particularly, horizontal loading orientations consistently exhibited higher values for the selected compressive properties than vertical orientations, except for deformation at varying $LS$. The correlations between $LS$, $mc$, and the compressive parameters of the seed were mostly linear, at both orientations, with increasing $mc$ from 8.0 to 32.5% (db). High correlation coefficients ($R^2$) were obtained for the relationship between the studied parameters, $LS$, and $mc$. The data obtained would provide crucial insights into optimizing oil extraction processes by enabling the design of efficient machinery that accommodates the unique characteristics of the seeds. Thus, the findings contribute to the growing interest in alternative biodiesel feedstock, demonstrating that A. squamosa seeds can be repurposed for economic and environmental benefits. Full article

In recent years, Opuntia stricta (Cactaceae family) has garnered considerable attention due to its promising nutritional and medicinal properties. This study aims to investigate the chemical composition and bioactivity of Sicilian Opuntia stricta fruit pulp and seeds. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of betalain derivatives, especially isobetanin and betanin, as the main pigments in the freeze-dried pulp and its hydroalcoholic extract. Other constituents, namely, piscidic acid, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, were identified. Linoleic acid (41.95%) was the main abundant fatty acid followed by palmitic acid (19.32%) in the seed’s fixed oil as analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity was assessed using a multi-target approach using 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. The ABTS test showed greater sensitivity to the action of the samples with significant half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of 13.24 and 14.82 mg/mL for the hydroalcoholic extract and the freeze-dried fruit pulp, respectively. Opuntia stricta’s extracts were also assessed for the carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme and lipase inhibitory effect. The freeze-dried fruit pulp exhibited the highest effect against lipase (IC₅₀ of 33.54 μg/mL). Collectively, our results contribute to the characterization of this traditionally consumed Sicilian edible plant and suggest its use as a source of bioactive compounds useful for the prevention of obesity linked to hyperglycemia. Full article

The by-products of the oil cold pressing of flaxseed are deemed to be safe, edible products. They have been shown to possess high nutritional value (compared with the seeds, they are richer in proteins and minerals) and adequate functional parameters (i.e., a high water-holding capacity and emulsion stability). In oilcakes, we found a portion of oil that was richer in unsaturated fatty acids (87.90%) than flax seeds (57.40%). Mg predominates in flax seeds, while Ce is predominant in flaxseed oilcake. Regarding essential amino acids, the seeds (76.71%) were found to be richer than the oilcake (70.46%). The use of methanol, low extraction temperatures, s high ultrasonic amplitude, and longer times resulted in the highest antioxidant capacity and phenolic content for flaxseed oilcake. Our analyses showed that oilcakes can be utilized as a functional ingredient or for the extraction of bioactive compounds, which can be incorporated into food products due to their nutritional, social, and economic benefits. Full article

Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge is an oil-bearing shrub native to China, whose seeds are rich in oil and can be used for extracting edible oil. The primary extraction methods for Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge oil (XSBO) include pressing, solvent extraction (SE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE), micro-wave-assisted extraction (MAE), and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE-CO₂). This review not only compares the advantages and disadvantages of these oil extraction techniques regarding extraction principles, oil yield efficiency, and cost-effectiveness but also reviews the existing purification processes for the active components in oil. XSBO exhibits various health benefits, including antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties. In particular, it contains a special component called nervonic acid, which rarely exists in other plant oils, and has garnered significant attention for its potential in alleviating the impact of neurological diseases. XSBO has been widely applied in food, pharmaceuticals, and health supplements. However, the underlying mechanisms of its bioactive functions have not been fully elucidated, and there is limited research on encapsulation techniques, which restricts its application in food and pharmaceutical health products. Further studies in this domain can focus on purification processes, identifying the precise mechanism of action, to achieve efficient development and utilization of XSBO. Full article

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is an important oilseed crop and yellow-seeded and black-seeded varieties have different metabolite profiles, which determines the quality and edibility of their oil. In this study, we performed a non-targeted metabolomics analysis of seeds from four rapeseed varieties at eight developmental stages. This analysis identified 4540 features, of which 366 were annotated as known metabolites. The content of these metabolites was closely related to seed developmental stage, with the critical period for seed metabolite accumulation being between 10 and 20 days after pollination. Through a comparative analysis, we identified 18 differentially abundant flavonoid features between yellow-seeded and black-seeded rapeseed varieties. By combining the flavonoid data with transcriptome data, we constructed a gene regulatory network that may reflect the accumulation of differentially abundant flavonoid features. Finally, we predicted 38 unknown features as being flavonoid features through molecular networking. These results provide valuable metabolomics information for the breeding of yellow-seeded rapeseed varieties. Full article