Search Results (8)

The starch modification of mango cotyledons with both single ultrasound (US) and dual (US followed by octenyl succinic anhydride, OSA) was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The mechanochemical effects of ultrasound on amylose content, particle size, and dual modification efficiency were assessed. In addition, the structural, thermal, morphological, and functional properties were evaluated. After optimization with single US (41 min and 91% sonication intensity), sonication induced starch granule fragmentation, altering amorphous and partially crystalline regions, which increased amylose content (34%), reduced particle size (Dx50 = 12 μm), and modified granule surface morphology. The dual modification (the subsequent OSA reaction lasted 4.6 h under the same conditions) reached a degree of substitution of 0.02 and 81% efficiency, imparting amphiphilic properties to the starch. OSA groups were mainly incorporated into amorphous and surface regions, which decreased crystallinity, gelatinization temperature, and enthalpy. The synergistic effect of the modification with US and OSA in the dual modification significantly improved the solubility and swelling power of starch, resulting in better dispersion, functionality in aqueous systems, and chemical reactivity. These findings highlight the potential of dual modification to transform mango cotyledon starch into a versatile ingredient in the food industry as a thickener, a stabilizer in soups and sauces, an emulsifier, a carrier of bioactive and edible films; in the cosmetic industry as a gelling and absorbent agent; and in the pharmaceutical industry for the controlled release of drugs. Furthermore, valorizing mango cotyledons supports circular economy principles, promoting sustainable and value-added food product development. Full article

Mayonnaise has a long history as a representative of emulsified sauces. As people become more health-conscious, salad dressings (emulsified and non-emulsified) with lower fat content gradually appear in people’s lives. Both sauces are widely used in everyday life for meat marinades because they contain seasonings such as spices, salt, and vinegar. Although there are many studies on how condiments such as spices, salt, and vinegar affect meat, the effects of semi-solid/liquid emulsions and non-emulsified marinades on meat have yet to be further discussed and analyzed. Therefore, studying the physical and chemical effects of mayonnaise (semi-solid emulsified emulsion) and salad dressing (liquid emulsion and non-emulsified sauce) on meat is essential for improving food quality and safety. Thus, this paper examines the impacts of mayonnaise, emulsified salad dressing, and non-emulsified salad dressing on the physicochemical properties and sensory evaluations of meat. The results showed that the three sauces effectively reduced cooking losses when used as marinades for chicken breasts. In the juiciness and firmness tests, both mayonnaise and non-emulsified salad dressings positively affected the meat. This study also found that lower pH values were not always effective at reducing meat hardness and that emulsification may play a key role in reducing meat hardness. Full article

Global trends of promoting a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet and reducing the consumption of animal products and high-fat-content foods have contributed to the creation of new mayonnaise-like products. The aim of the study was to develop a technology for low-fat mayonnaise containing 30% sunflower oil. Canned white bean aquafaba was used as a plant-based emulsifier to create an egg-free sauce. To maintain the texture and rheological properties of the food emulsion, a water-soluble polymer such as carboxymethylcellulose was used as a thickener and a pectin–xanthan mixture was used as a gelling agent. The ratio of the main ingredients of the emulsion emulsifier/stabilizer/thickener was 3:0.7:0.3 (%). The prepared emulsion-like sauce was characterized by high sedimentation stability at the level of 98%, as well as acidity equal to 0.691 g of acetic acid equivalent per 100 g sample and pH = 3.66. The volume droplet size distribution had a mean particle size of 8.4 μm and a SPAN factor of 1.7 µm, indicating typical values for these parameters of a well-homogenized mayonnaise-like emulsion. Rheological studies made it possible to classify the samples as viscoelastic systems with a pseudoplastic flow pattern and a sufficiently high yield shear stress value equal to 132 Pa as a quantitative parameter confirming the stability of the microstructure over time. Sensory analysis confirmed high scores for consistency, taste and smell of the end-product. Full article

The demand for sustainable and functional plant-based products is on the rise. Plant proteins and polysaccharides often provide emulsification and stabilization properties to food and food ingredients. Recently, chickpea cooking water, also known as aquafaba, has gained popularity as a substitute for egg whites in sauces, food foams, and baked goods due to its foaming and emulsifying capacities. This study presents a modified eco-friendly process to obtain process water from faba beans and isolate and characterize the foam-inducing components. The isolated material exhibits similar functional properties, such as foaming capacity, to aquafaba obtained by cooking pulses. To isolate the foam-inducing component, the faba bean process water was mixed with anhydrous ethanol, and a precipitated fraction was obtained. The precipitate was easily dissolved, and solutions prepared with the alcohol precipitate retained the foaming capacity of the original extract. Enzymatic treatment with α-amylase or protease resulted in reduced foaming capacity, indicating that both protein and carbohydrates contribute to the foaming capacity. The dried precipitate was found to be 23% protein (consisting of vicilin, α-legumin, and β-legumin) and 77% carbohydrate (amylose). Future investigations into the chemical structure of this foam-inducing agent can inform the development of foaming agents through synthetic or enzymatic routes. Overall, this study provides a potential alternative to aquafaba and highlights the importance of exploring plant-based sources for functional ingredients in the food industry. Full article

The aim of this work was to study the physical stability and rheological properties of an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by a konjac glucomannan–whey protein (KGM-WP) mixture at a konjac glucomannan concentration of 0.1–0.5% (w/w) and a whey protein concentration of 1.0–3.0% (w/w). The droplet size, microstructure, stackability, flow behavior, and viscoelastic properties were measured. The experimental results showed that with an increase in KGM and WP concentrations, the droplet size (D_4,3) of the emulsion gradually decreased to 12.9 μm, and the macroscopic performance of the emulsion was a gel-like structure that can be inverted and resist flow and can also be extruded and stacked. The static shear viscosity and viscoelasticity generally increased with the increase of konjac glucomannan and whey protein concentration. Emulsions were pseudo-plastic fluids with shear thinning behavior (flow behavior index: 0.15 ≤ n ≤ 0.49) and exhibited viscoelastic behavior with a storage modulus (G′) greater than their loss modulus (G″), indicating that the samples all had gel-like behavior (0.10 < n′ < 0.22). Moreover, storage modulus and loss modulus of all samples increased with increasing KGM and WP concentrations. When the concentration of konjac glucomannan was 0.3% w/w, the emulsion had similar rheological behavior to commercial mayonnaise. These results suggested that the KGM-WP mixture can be used as an effective substitute for egg yolk to make a cholesterol-free mayonnaise-like emulsion. The knowledge obtained here had important implications for the application of protein–polysaccharide mixtures as emulsifiers/stabilizers to make mayonnaise-like emulsions in sauce and condiments. Full article

Brewer’s spent yeast (BSY) mannoproteins have been reported to possess thickening and emulsifying properties. The commercial interest in yeast mannoproteins might be boosted considering the consolidation of their properties supported by structure/function relationships. This work aimed to attest the use of extracted BSY mannoproteins as a clean label and vegan source of ingredients for the replacement of food additives and protein from animal sources. To achieve this, structure/function relationships were performed by isolating polysaccharides with distinct structural features from BSY, either by using alkaline extraction (mild treatment) or subcritical water extraction (SWE) using microwave technology (hard treatment), and assessment of their emulsifying properties. Alkaline extractions solubilized mostly highly branched mannoproteins (N-linked type; 75%) and glycogen (25%), while SWE solubilized mannoproteins with short mannan chains (O-linked type; 55%) and (1→4)- and (β1→3)-linked glucans, 33 and 12%, respectively. Extracts with high protein content yielded the most stable emulsions obtained by hand shaking, while the extracts composed of short chain mannans and β-glucans yielded the best emulsions by using ultraturrax stirring. β-Glucans and O-linked mannoproteins were found to contribute to emulsion stability by preventing Ostwald ripening. When applied in mayonnaise model emulsions, BSY extracts presented higher stability and yet similar texture properties as the reference emulsifiers. When used in a mayonnaise formulation, the BSY extracts were also able to replace egg yolk and modified starch (E1422) at 1/3 of their concentration. This shows that BSY alkali soluble mannoproteins and subcritical water extracted β-glucans can be used as replacers of animal protein and additives in sauces. Full article

Tenebrio molitor flour, a sustainable source of protein and bioactive compounds, was used as a clean label ingredient in order to reformulate a commercial hummus sauce, replacing egg yolk and modified starch, improving its nutritional quality. For this purpose, the impact of different concentrations of insect flour on the sauce was studied. Rheology properties, texture profile analysis, and the microstructure of the sauces were analyzed. Nutritional profile analysis was carried out, as well as bioactivity, namely the total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity. Sensory analysis was conducted to determine the consumer’s acceptance. At low concentrations (up to 7.5% of T. molitor flour) the sauce structure remained practically unchanged. However, for higher additions of T. molitor (10% and 15%), a loss of firmness, adhesiveness and viscosity was observed. Structure parameters such as elastic modulus (G’) at 1 Hz of the sauces with 10% and 15% were significantly lower than the commercial sauce, indicating a loss of structure caused by Tenebrio flour incorporation. Although the formulation with 7.5% T. molitor flour was not the best rated in the sensory analysis, it showed a higher antioxidant capacity compared to the commercial standard. In addition, this formulation also presented the highest concentration in total phenolic compounds (16.25 mg GAE/g) and significantly increased the content of proteins (from 4.25% to 7.97%) and some minerals, compared to the standard. Full article

The food industry is one of the major users of emulsion technology, as many food products exist in an emulsified form, including many dressings, sauces, spreads, dips, creams, and beverages. Recently, there has been an interest in improving the healthiness, sustainability, and safety of foods in an attempt to address some of the negative effects associated with the modern food supply, such as rising chronic diseases, environmental damage, and food safety concerns. Advanced emulsion technologies can be used to address many of these concerns. In this review article, recent studies on the development and utilization of these advanced technologies are critically assessed, including nanoemulsions, high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs), Pickering emulsions, multilayer emulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), multiple emulsions, and emulgels. A brief description of each type of emulsion is given, then their formation and properties are described, and finally their potential applications in the food industry are presented. Special emphasis is given to the utilization of these advanced technologies for the delivery of bioactive compounds. Full article