Search Results (342)

Food waste is often driven by consumer uncertainty about the spoilage of stored food, especially for cooked meal leftovers where microbial growth is the main concern. We analyzed whether metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors placed inside ordinary food containers can monitor the edibility of leftovers, specifically cooked meatballs. Sensors were operated using temperature cycling to enhance selectivity, and cycle-aligned features were extracted. A prior calibration campaign produced information used to map cycle-aligned features into estimated gas concentrations for relevant VOCs. Total viable counts, which represent the growth of total number of spoilage microorganisms, were analyzed on days 0, 5 and 7 to determine the food’s freshness. Both the raw sensor features and the calibration-derived gas concentration estimates were analyzed with principal component analysis (PCA) and evaluated with a leave-one-sensor-out (LOSO) binary classifier for multiple food containers. PCA on the calibrated gas estimates revealed a dominant axis that consistently tracks food degradation over time across various containers. LOSO classification accuracy improved from 81.7% using raw sensor features to 87.8% using calibrated gas concentration estimates. These findings represent a proof of principle that calibrated MOS sensor systems can robustly support in situ edibility assessment for cooked food. Full article

Price volatility in fresh food commodities can weaken supply-chain coordination, disturb market expectations, and increase short-term risks to food availability and affordability. This issue is more pronounced for specialty crops with seasonal production, concentrated supply, limited storability, and high sensitivity to climate, trade, energy, and online-attention shocks. This study develops a trajectory-regularized physics-informed multi-source forecasting framework for daily wholesale prices of garlic, scallion, and ginger in China from 2014 to 2024. The framework, denoted as STL–ETO–EMA–PILSTM, integrates Seasonal-Trend decomposition using LOESS (STL), Efficient Multi-scale Attention (EMA), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), an economically motivated physics-informed trajectory residual constraint, and Exponential-Trigonometric Optimization (ETO), using production, climate, macroeconomic, trade, crude-oil, and online-attention indicators. In this framework, the physics-informed component is implemented as a trajectory residual constraint inspired by price-adjustment inertia and local continuity, rather than as a conventional PINN based on strict governing physical equations. In one-step-ahead forecasting, the model outperformed conventional machine learning baselines and additional time-series baselines, including naive persistence, Transformer Encoder, and PatchTST, with MAE values of 0.0853, 0.0581, and 0.1409 for garlic, scallion, and ginger, respectively, and R² values above 0.996. Leakage-prevention procedures, walk-forward validation, multi-horizon forecasting, and Diebold–Mariano tests were used to strengthen result credibility. Multi-step forecasting showed clear performance degradation as the horizon increased, supporting the positioning of the framework as a short-term market-monitoring tool rather than a long-horizon structural projection model. Permutation-based feature-importance and interaction analyses revealed crop-specific price drivers. The framework provides an interpretable tool for fresh food price forecasting, market stability monitoring, and short-term operational risk monitoring in fresh food supply chains. Full article

Chitosan, produced through deacetylation of chitin from crustacean byproducts and, increasingly, fungal biomass and insects, is attracting food-sector interest because it combines antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, biodegradability, and film-forming behavior in a single polymer. This review discusses how source, molecular weight (MW), degree of deacetylation, solubility, and charge density shape its performance in food systems. The paper then follows the main technological routes now tested or used: edible films and coatings, hydrogels, cryogels, nanoparticles, microcapsules, and hybrid matrices. These formats can protect fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and dairy foods, while also supporting beverage clarification, emulsion control, release of natural antimicrobials or antioxidants, and freshness monitoring in active or intelligent packaging. The evidence indicates strong promise, especially where microbial growth, lipid oxidation, moisture transfer, and short shelf life remain limiting factors. Yet, wider industrial use is still slowed by water sensitivity, sensory effects, raw-material variation, cost, process scale-up, and regulatory alignment. Future work should move beyond laboratory efficacy and address reproducible production, food-specific validation, and consumer acceptance. Full article

Integrating semi-transparent photovoltaics (STPV) into greenhouse structures offers an effective approach to optimizing the Food–Energy Nexus and maximizing sustainable land-use efficiency. However, a knowledge gap remains regarding how specific STPV spectral signatures drive plant morpho-physiological acclimation across multiple cultivation cycles. This study presents a 19-month multi-cycle, proof-of-concept evaluation of the structural growth dynamics and physiological responses of generative (tomato) and vegetative (lettuce) crops under greenhouse prototypes with two distinct thin-film STPV technologies: Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) and amorphous Silicon (a-Si), compared to an unshaded transparent control. Biometric monitoring revealed that morphological acclimation (Shade-Avoidance Syndrome) was highly plastic, driven by the interplay between spectral filtering and seasonal irradiance limits. While structural adaptations, such as foliar expansion and stem elongation under the a-Si spectrum, were pronounced during specific transitional seasons (e.g., early spring), these morphological differences largely homogenized across treatments during periods of extreme high or low natural irradiance. Despite the shading penalty, this morphological acclimation successfully sustained agronomic fresh mass. Systemic efficiency, quantified by the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) as a relative biophysical synergy index, demonstrated notably crop-specific synergies. Under an extended single fruiting cycle, the CdTe prototype showed potential to improve yield, achieving a maximum LER of 1.66 for the high-light-demanding tomato (Y_crop = 1.40). Conversely, the a-Si module excelled with the shade-tolerant lettuce during early vegetative stages in high-radiation periods, achieving peak LERs up to 1.55. These findings provide a biophysical baseline to help guide future scalability assessments prior to full-scale commercial agrivoltaic (APV) implementation for sustainable food systems. Full article

International agri-food trade and climate change interact in ways that have significant implications for supply chain resilience and food sovereignty, yet these interactions remain insufficiently understood at the level of specific traded commodities. This paper analyses European fresh orange imports over 2012–2022 using a unit value decomposition applied to FAOSTAT and Eurostat bilateral trade data, alongside a seasonal supply analysis of monthly import flows from the main exporting regions. The analysis documents a pronounced geographic reorientation of global orange production toward developing and emerging economies in North Africa, Southern Africa, and South America, many of which face documented climate-related stressors. The unit value decomposition identifies how exporter-level unit values and import share reallocations contribute to changes in regional import unit value indices. The seasonal supply analysis shows that the European orange supply depends on a tight sequence of regional exporters operating in largely non-overlapping seasonal windows, leaving limited redundancy if disruptions occur in any single supplying region. These findings provide a descriptive, origin-disaggregated account of Europe’s trade-side exposure in fresh orange supply chains. They underscore the need for product-specific monitoring tools and policy approaches that consider seasonal import dependence, supplier concentration, and the climate vulnerability of major origin regions, while recognising that the present analysis does not estimate causal climate effects. Full article

Visual freshness monitoring is challenging in intelligent seafood packaging. This study developed low-acyl gellan gum (LGG)-based intelligent films incorporating anthocyanin (BRE), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh), and black rice starch (BRS) and evaluated their effects on film structure, physical–mechanical properties, and shrimp freshness-monitoring performance. Films prepared via solution casting were evaluated using structural, mechanical, and barrier analyses, alongside shrimp spoilage trials at 25 °C. Structural analyses revealed an integrated polysaccharide network. CMCh reinforced the matrix and increased tensile strength, whereas partially retained BRS granules introduced microstructural heterogeneity, reducing strength and increasing water vapor permeability, highlighting a trade-off between mechanical performance and moisture transport. Consequently, BRS-containing films reduced BRE release, improved pigment retention, and resulted in less intense color changes associated with total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) accumulation during shrimp spoilage. Overall, these results suggest that CMCh and BRS composition-dependently modulate the structure, water vapor transport, pigment retention, and colorimetric response of LGG-based films for visual monitoring of shrimp freshness under accelerated spoilage conditions. Full article

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being proposed for postharvest food-safety control of animal-source foods, but its practical value depends on whether models can support real decisions rather than only report high accuracy. Methods: This narrative review used a structured literature mapping of peer-reviewed work, mainly from 2020 to 2025, identified through database searches and citation tracking using combined terms for artificial intelligence, machine learning, animal-source foods, postharvest food safety, slaughterhouse inspection, cold-chain monitoring, traceability, authenticity, HACCP, validation, and regulatory applicability. Results: The most implementation-proximate applications are computer vision prescreening in slaughterhouses and processing plants, sensor- and IoT-based cold-chain surveillance, freshness and adulteration screening, and digital traceability systems. Across these areas, stronger evidence is associated with clearly defined control points, transparent reference methods, external or temporal validation, auditable data flows, and documented human oversight. The main weaknesses are single-site datasets, retrospective designs, incomplete reporting of reference methods, limited workflow testing, and insufficient attention to false alerts, fallback procedures, and governance. Conclusions: AI should be viewed as targeted decision support, not as a replacement for established food-safety control. Future studies should prioritize prospective, multi-site, workflow-embedded validation and show how alerts lead to documented corrective or verification actions. Full article

Shrimp are among the most valuable seafood commodities worldwide, but are also highly perishable, making their quality preservation a critical issue for both food safety and supply chain sustainability. The rapid deterioration of fresh shrimp contributes to significant post-harvest losses, highlighting the need for reliable freshness indicators capable of supporting shelf-life assessment under commercial conditions. This study evaluated the evolution of microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory parameters in two commercially important Mediterranean shrimp species, Parapenaeus longirostris and Melicertus kerathurus, stored on ice for up to 15 days under retail-like conditions. Microbial load, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), formaldehyde, formic acid, and sensory attributes were monitored during storage. Microbial populations increased progressively over time but remained below commonly accepted spoilage thresholds, while physicochemical indicators showed significant changes associated with post-mortem biochemical processes. In particular, TVB-N, pH, and formic acid increased during storage, whereas formaldehyde levels decreased, suggesting the progressive transformation of trimethylamine-N-oxide degradation products. Sensory analysis indicated that shrimp maintained high quality up to approximately 12 days of iced storage, whereas samples stored for 15 days approached the limit of consumer acceptability. The combined behaviour of microbial, chemical, and sensory indicators highlights the importance of a multidimensional approach for evaluating shrimp freshness under commercial storage conditions. Based on the experimental dataset, practical reference ranges for key quality parameters are proposed (pH < 7.4; TVB-N ≤ 30 mg N/100 g; formaldehyde < 10 mg/kg; formic acid < 18 mg/kg). These results may support improved freshness evaluation, contribute to more accurate shelf-life estimation, and help reduce unnecessary seafood waste within the supply chain. Full article

Traditional petroleum-based packaging suffers from pollution and functional limits, making it unsuitable for next-generation food systems. In contrast, bio-based smart packaging—combining renewable substrates with responsive components—transforms packaging from a passive shell into an active quality monitor and supply chain information node through three interconnected pillars: renewability, real-time responsiveness to freshness markers, and digital traceability. Market figures confirm this shift, with the smart food packaging sector projected to reach USD 48.97 billion by 2028 (CAGR 4.49% from 2023). This review covers recent progress in natural polymers (cellulose, chitosan, alginate, gelatin) and bio-based polyesters (PLA, PHA). Their multiscale structures enable tunable mechanical and barrier properties while serving as hosts for intelligent functions. Two functional directions stand out: active preservation (antimicrobial, antioxidant, gas-regulating, stimulus-controlled release) and intelligent sensing (colorimetric indicators, bio-based sensors, nano-amplified signals for real-time freshness monitoring). Beyond material functions, digital tools such as IoT and blockchain turn packaging into interactive data nodes, linking material intelligence with full traceability to enhance food safety and supply chain efficiency. Key challenges remain with long-term operational stability, production costs, scalable manufacturing, and life cycle assessments. Nevertheless, bio-based smart packaging is expected to evolve through biomimetic design, process innovation, and system-level integration toward adaptability, multifunctionality, and intelligence, ultimately supporting safer, more transparent, efficient, and sustainable food systems. Full article

Youlk (Platusace deflexa) is a native root vegetable in Australia that is primarily consumed fresh, baked, or roasted. This study aimed to produce a fermented product using youlk with added lactic acid bacteria (LAB), in comparison with spontaneous fermentations. Three LAB strains were selected for their high in vitro antioxidant activity, leading to eight formulations that featured individual strains or a 1:1:1 combination. The strains were Latilactobacillus sakei F1, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei D2 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus JL, all previously isolated from fermented vegetables. Two salt levels (2% and 4%) were used, together with the addition of 1% Australian native pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata). LAB counts, pH, titratable acidity, organic acid content, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored over a three-week period. LAB viable numbers (7.5–9.3 log CFU/g), lactic acid content (1770–2740 ppm) and titratable acidity (0.72–0.89%) were significantly higher and pH was lower (<4.0 for the combined strains) in the LAB-inoculated group compared with the spontaneously fermented control group. The opportunistic pathogen Pluralibacter gergoviae was present in spontaneously fermented youlk but not in the LAB-inoculated group, likely due to lower pH. A total of 21 VOCs were detected, with α-pinene being the most abundant. Aroma-enhancing compounds like acetoin and linalool increased significantly by day 14. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that fermentation duration influenced VOC production more than the LAB strains. These results suggest that youlk is a promising candidate for fermented food production, with LAB strains enhancing fermentation and providing advantages over spontaneous fermentation. Full article

This study investigated the development, fabrication, and characterization of a novel biodegradable food packaging film based on chitosan (CH) and fucoidan (FU), incorporating blackcurrant-derived anthocyanins (BCAs). The system was designed to enable real-time monitoring of tuna (Thunnus spp.) freshness, while addressing environmental concerns through the replacement of synthetic materials with a bioactive, multifunctional alternative that provides both mechanical protection and dynamic spoilage indication. Films were prepared using a casting method with varying BCA concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%) and systematically evaluated in terms of their structural, physicochemical, and biological properties. The results indicated that the CH/FU/BCA film containing 0.4% BCA exhibited optimal performance, characterized by enhanced tensile strength, reduced water solubility and moisture content, and improved thermal stability and barrier properties. The incorporation of BCA enabled distinct color changes in response to spoilage-related conditions, supporting its function as a pH-responsive indicator. In addition, the films demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, affirming their suitability as active packaging materials. Zeta potential analysis further indicated improved colloidal stability upon BCA incorporation. Overall, the synergistic interactions among CH, FU, and BCA resulted in a multifunctional film with combined protective and freshness-indicating capabilities. These findings highlight the potential of the developed biofilm for application in intelligent seafood packaging systems. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable smart packaging arises from the urgent need to preserve food quality and minimize environmental waste. In this study, multifunctional gelatin-based pH-responsive indicator films were fabricated by incorporating anthocyanins extracted from Hibiscus x archeri W Watson (HAE) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The incorporation of HAE and ZnO-NPs enhanced surface hydrophobicity, as evidenced by an increase in the water contact angle from 99° to 106°. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis verified the lack of new chemical bond formation, indicating that the interactions among components were primarily physical in nature. Distinct colour transitions in buffer solutions of differing pH demonstrated the films’ colorimetric behavior. The films exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (18.961 mm), Salmonella typhimurium (18.969 mm), and Aeromonas hydrophila (18.237 mm), whereas the neat gelatin film showed no inhibitory zone. The films also demonstrated superior UV-blocking capacity, with an opacity value (1.34 a.u/mm) compared to the control gelatin film (0.79 a.u/mm). Notably, fish fillets wrapped with the films remained fresh for up to 10 days, compared to day 4 for the unwrapped samples. These findings highlight the considerable potential of multifunctional, active and intelligent packaging for food preservation and real-time freshness monitoring. Full article

Background: Plant essential oils are extensively utilized for their antimicrobial properties; however, the specific antifungal mechanisms of certain compounds are not well characterized. Geraniol, a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol approved for use in foods, demonstrates potential efficacy against spoilage fungi, yet detailed mechanistic insights are lacking. Methods: In this study, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of geraniol against P. polonicum. We assessed the underlying mechanisms by evaluating membrane integrity, intracellular leakage, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], peroxidase [POD], catalase [CAT]), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, ATP content, and ATPase activity. Inoculated yam slices were exposed to geraniol vapor, and we monitored sensory, physicochemical, enzymatic, and microbial parameters. Results: Geraniol exhibited a minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum fungicidal concentration (MIC/MFC) of 0.3 mL/L. It disrupted cellular membranes, induced leakage, generated ROS, and caused lipid peroxidation, leading to elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA). Additionally, geraniol activated antioxidant enzymes and impaired energy metabolism. Fumigation with geraniol dose-dependently delayed the deterioration of yam, reduced weight loss, preserved texture and color, inhibited polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and POD activities, enhanced CAT and SOD activities, lowered MDA levels, and suppressed bacterial growth. Conclusions: Geraniol inhibits P. polonicum through multiple mechanisms, including membrane disruption, oxidative stress, and interference with energy metabolism, thereby effectively preserving the quality of fresh-cut yam and demonstrating potential as a natural preservative. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive review on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy applied in food analysis, systematically elaborating its core principles, widespread industrial applications, advanced chemometric strategies, and cutting-edge technological progress. NIR spectroscopy (760–2500 nm), characterized by rapid, non-destructive detection and minimal sample preparation, has been widely implemented in quality evaluation and safety monitoring of grains, meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy, fermented products, tea, coffee, and other processed foods, realizing quantitative analysis of nutrients, freshness assessment, texture prediction, adulteration identification, origin tracing, and rapid preliminary screening of toxin/pesticide residues. A series of chemometric methods, including spectral preprocessing (SNV, MSC, S-G smoothing), feature extraction, and variable selection (CARS, PSO-CMW, ICPA), as well as linear/nonlinear modeling algorithms (PLS, SVM, BP-ANN, fuzzy clustering) significantly boost the accuracy and robustness of spectral analysis. Meanwhile, portable NIR devices and online monitoring systems promote on-site and real-time detection in food supply chains. Despite existing challenges such as calibration transfer, matrix interference, and model generalization, innovations like multimodal data fusion, deep learning integration, and intelligent algorithm optimization offer effective solutions. This review not only summarizes the latest research advances of NIR technology in the food field but also emphasizes its significant advantages as a rapid, non-destructive complementary tool to traditional destructive detection methods, providing theoretical support and technical reference for accelerating the industrial translation and standardized application of NIR spectroscopy, and ultimately safeguarding global food quality and safety. Full article

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural production is a significant public health issue in Mexico, as it directly impacts food safety and population exposure through dietary intake. Available scientific evidence indicates that vegetables and other plant-derived foods can serve as significant exposure pathways for toxic elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium, and mercury. The consumption of contaminated foods may contribute to cumulative adverse health effects, including neurological, renal, and reproductive alterations, as well as an increased risk of chronic diseases. In Mexico, risk assessment is further constrained by methodological heterogeneity across studies and by difficulties in translating scientific evidence into concrete regulatory actions. Critically, the national regulatory framework lacks specific standards establishing maximum permissible limits for heavy metals in fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains, despite their central role in the population’s diet. Regulations focus primarily on drinking water quality and selected processed foods, creating a regulatory gap in the direct control of contaminants in crops. The findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen public policies by establishing crop-specific regulatory standards, implementing systematic monitoring programs, and integrating food safety considerations more effectively into environmental, agricultural, and public health policies in Mexico. Full article