Search Results (605)

In many developing African countries, milk safety is often managed through traditional methods such as fermentation or boiling over firewood. While these approaches reduce some microbial risks, they present critical limitations. Firewood dependency contributes to deforestation, depletion of agricultural residues, and loss of soil fertility, which, in turn, compromise environmental health and food security. Solar pasteurization provides a reliable and sustainable method for thermally inactivating pathogenic microorganisms in milk and other perishable foods at sub-boiling temperatures, preserving its nutritional quality. This study aimed to evaluate the thermal and microbial performance of a low-cost solar milk pasteurization system, hypothesized to effectively reduce microbial contaminants and retain milk quality under natural sunlight. The system was constructed using locally available materials and tailored to the climatic conditions of the Savanna ecological zone in West Africa. A flat-plate glass solar collector was integrated with a 0.15 cm thick stainless steel cylindrical milk vat, featuring a 2.2 cm hot water jacket and 0.5 cm thick aluminum foil insulation. The system was tested in Navrongo, Ghana, under ambient temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 43 °C. The pasteurizer successfully processed up to 8 L of milk per batch, achieving a maximum milk temperature of 74 °C by 14:00 GMT. Microbial analysis revealed a significant reduction in bacterial load, from 6.6 × 10⁶ CFU/mL to 1.0 × 10² CFU/mL, with complete elimination of coliforms. These results confirmed the device’s effectiveness in achieving safe pasteurization levels. The findings demonstrate that this locally built solar pasteurization system is a viable and cost-effective solution for improving milk safety in arid, electricity-limited regions. Its potential scalability also opens avenues for rural entrepreneurship in solar-powered food and water treatment technologies. Full article

Low-commercial-value natural pistachios (broken, closed, or immature) can be revalorised through oil extraction, obtaining a high-quality oil and partially defatted flour as by-product. This study evaluated the techno-functional and nutritional properties of the flours obtained by hydraulic press (HP) and single-screw press (SSP) systems, combined with pretreatment at 25 °C and 60 °C. The extraction method significantly influenced flour’s characteristics, underscoring the need to tailor processing conditions to the specific technological requirements of each food application. HP-derived flours presented lighter colour, greater tocopherol content, and higher water absorption capacity (up to 2.75 g/g), suggesting preservation of hydrophilic proteins. SSP-derived flours showed higher concentration of protein (44 g/100 g), fibre (12 g/100 g), and minerals, and improved emulsifying properties, enhancing their suitability for emulsified products. Pretreatment at 25 °C enhanced functional properties such as swelling power (~7.0 g/g) and water absorption index (~5.7 g/g). The SSP system achieved the highest oil extraction yield, with no significant effect of pretreatment temperature. The oils extracted showed high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid (~48% of ω-9), highlighting their nutritional and industrial value. The findings support the valorisation of pistachio oil extraction by-products as functional food ingredients, offering a promising strategy for reducing food waste and promoting circular economy approaches in the agri-food sector. Full article

Cell-free biosensors harness the selectivity of cellular machinery without living cells’ constraints, offering advantages in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and biotechnological applications. This review examines recent advances in cell-free biosensor development, highlighting their ability to detect diverse analytes including heavy metals, organic pollutants, pathogens, and clinical biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity. We analyze technological innovations in cell-free protein synthesis optimization, preservation strategies, and field deployment methods that have enhanced sensitivity, and practical applicability. The integration of synthetic biology approaches has enabled complex signal processing, multiplexed detection, and novel sensor designs including riboswitches, split reporter systems, and metabolic sensing modules. Emerging materials such as supported lipid bilayers, hydrogels, and artificial cells are expanding biosensor capabilities through microcompartmentalization and electronic integration. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in standardization, sample interference mitigation, and cost reduction. Future opportunities include smartphone integration, enhanced preservation methods, and hybrid sensing platforms. Cell-free biosensors hold particular promise for point-of-care diagnostics in resource-limited settings, environmental monitoring applications, and food safety testing, representing essential tools for addressing global challenges in healthcare, environmental protection, and biosecurity. Full article

The development of active food packaging has evolved rapidly in recent years, offering innovative solutions to enhance food preservation and safety while addressing sustainability challenges. This review compiles and analyzes recent advancements (2019–2024) in release-type active packaging, focusing on essential oils, natural extracts, and phenolic compounds as active agents. Primarily plant-derived, these compounds exhibit significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, extending shelf life and enhancing food quality. Technological strategies such as encapsulation and polymer blending have been increasingly adopted to overcome challenges related to volatility, solubility, and sensory impact. Integrating bio-based polymers, including chitosan, starch, and polylactic acid, further supports the development of environmentally friendly packaging systems. This review also highlights trends in compound-specific research, release mechanisms, and commercial applications, including a detailed analysis of patents and case studies across various food matrices. These developments have already been translated into practical applications, such as antimicrobial sachets for meat and essential oil-based pads for fresh produce. Moreover, by promoting the valorization of agro-industrial by-products and the use of biodegradable materials, emission-type active packaging contributes to the principles of the circular economy. This comprehensive overview underscores the potential of natural bioactive compounds in advancing sustainable and functional food packaging technologies. Full article

The advancement of non-thermal disinfection technologies represents a critical pathway for ensuring food safety, meeting environmental sustainability requirements, and meeting consumer preferences for clean-label products. This study systematically evaluated the combined preservation effect of ultrasonic-assisted slightly acidic electrolyzed water (US+SAEW) on mirror carp fillets during refrigeration. Results demonstrated that US+SAEW exhibited superior antimicrobial efficacy compared to individual US or SAEW, achieving reductions of 0.73, 0.74, and 0.79 log CFU/g in total viable counts (TVC), Aeromonas bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria counts compared to the control, respectively. Furthermore, the combined intervention significantly suppressed microbial proliferation throughout the refrigeration period while simultaneously delaying protein and lipid degradation/oxidation induced by spoilage bacteria, thereby inhibiting the formation of alkaline nitrogenous compounds. Consequently, lower levels of pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), protein carbonyl, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were observed in US+SAEW compared to the other treatments. Multimodal characterization through low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), texture, and color analysis confirmed that US+SAEW effectively preserved quality characteristics, extending the shelf life of mirror carp fillets by four days. This study provides a novel non-thermal preservation strategy that combines microbial safety maintenance with quality retention, offering particular advantages for thermolabile food. Full article

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a metalloproteinase widely present in plant organelles that plays crucial roles in photosynthesis, pest and disease resistance, growth and development, and flower color formation. Due to the high cost and reuse difficulties of plant PPO in applications, immobilization has emerged as a key technology to improve its stability, recyclability, and reusability. Immobilized plant PPO has been widely used in environmental and detection fields. This review examines different immobilization methods and carrier materials for plant PPO and summarizes its applications in wastewater treatment, biosensor detection, food preservation, and theaflavin synthesis. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities for immobilized plant PPO are discussed. Full article

The report examines food availability and demand in the Anthropocene era, exploring the connections between global population growth and carrying capacity through an extended version of Cohen’s Condorcet concept. It recalls the super-Malthus and Verhulst-type scalings, matched with the recently introduced analytic relative growth rate. It focuses particularly on the ongoing Fifth Industrial Revolution (IR) and its interaction with the concept of a sustainable civilization. In this context, the significance of innovative food preservation technologies that can yield high-quality foods with health-promoting features, while simultaneously increasing food quantities and reducing adverse environmental impacts, is discussed. To achieve this, high-pressure preservation and processing (HPP) can play a dominant role. High-pressure ‘cold pasteurization’, related to room-temperature processing, has already achieved a global scale. Its superior features are notable and are fairly correlated with social expectations of a sustainable society and the technological tasks of the Fifth Industrial Revolution. The discussion is based on the authors’ experiences in HPP-related research and applications. The next breakthrough could be HPP-related sterilization. The innovative HPP path, supported by the colossal barocaloric effect, is presented. The mass implementation of pressure-related sterilization could lead to milestone societal, pro-health, environmental, and economic benefits. Full article

Non-thermal plasma technology is used in the food sector due to its many advantages such as low operating costs, fast and efficient processing at low temperatures, minimal environmental impact, and preservation of sensory and nutritional properties. In this article, the plasma was generated using a high-voltage electrical discharge (HVED) with argon at a voltage of 35 kV and a frequency of 60 Hz. Plasma monitoring and diagnostics were performed using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) to optimise the process parameters and for quality control. OES was used as a non-invasive sensor to collect useful information about the properties of the plasma and to identify excited species. The values obtained for electron temperature and electron density (up to $2.3 \mathrm{eV}$ and up to ${10}^{23} {\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$) confirmed that the generated plasma is a non-thermal plasma. Therefore, the use of OES is recommended in the daily control of food processing, as this is necessary to confirm that the processes are non-thermal and suitable for the food sector. Full article

Japan’s 8.5 million vacant homes (Akiyas) represent a paradox of scarcity amid surplus: while rural depopulation leaves properties abandoned, housing shortages and bureaucratic inefficiencies hinder their reuse. This study proposes AKI2ALL, an AI-blockchain framework designed to automate the circular repurposing of Akiyas into ten high-value community assets—guesthouses, co-working spaces, pop-up retail and logistics hubs, urban farming hubs, disaster relief housing, parking lots, elderly daycare centers, exhibition spaces, places for food and beverages, and company offices—through smart contracts and data-driven workflows. By integrating circular economy principles with decentralized technology, AKI2ALL streamlines property transitions, tax validation, and administrative processes, reducing operational costs while preserving embodied carbon in existing structures. Municipalities list properties, owners select uses, and AI optimizes assignments based on real-time demand. This work bridges gaps in digital construction governance, proving that automating trust and accountability can transform systemic inefficiencies into opportunities for community-led, low-carbon regeneration, highlighting its potential as a scalable model for global vacant property reuse. Full article

A novel polyester/graphene nanocomposite fiber was produced using the in situ polymerization protocol with carboxylated graphene and melt spinning technology. The resulting nanocomposite fibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The fibers containing 0.2 wt% graphene fraction showed an excellent dispersity of graphene nanosheets in polymeric matrix. DSC test showed that the efficient polymer-chain grafting depresses the crystallization of PET chains. This graphene-contained PET fabric exhibited attractive antibacterial properties that can be employed in fruit preservation to ensure food safety. Full article

Over the past few decades, pesticide application has increased significantly, driven by population growth and associated urbanization. To date, pesticide use remains crucial for sustaining global food security by enhancing crop yields and preserving quality. However, extensive pesticide application raises serious environmental and health concerns worldwide due to its chemical persistence and high toxicity to organisms, including humans. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop rapid and reliable analytical procedures for the quantification of trace pesticide residues to support public health management. Traditional methods, such as chromatography-based detection techniques, cannot simultaneously achieve high sensitivity, selectivity, cost-effectiveness, and portability, which limits their practical application. Nanomaterial-based sensing techniques are increasingly being adopted due to their rapid, efficient, user-friendly, and on-site detection capabilities. In this review, we summarize recent advances and emerging trends in commonly used nanosensing technologies, such as optical and electrochemical sensing, with a focus on recognition elements including enzymes, antibodies, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). We discuss the types of nanomaterials used, preparation methods, performance, characteristics, advantages and limitations, and applications of these nanosensors in detecting pesticide residues in agricultural products. Furthermore, we highlight current challenges, ongoing efforts, and future directions in the development of pesticide detection nanosensors. Full article

The agri-food sector faces the challenge of valorizing by-products and reducing waste. The frozen pumpkin industry generates substantial amounts of by-products rich in nutritional value, especially β-carotene. This study evaluates the nutritional and physical impact of incorporating pumpkin pulp flour (dehydrated and freeze-dried) obtained from by-products into cracker formulation. Crackers were prepared by replacing 10% and 20% of wheat flour with pumpkin flour, assessing the effects based on drying method. Physical parameters (expansion, color, and texture parameters) were measured, in the dough and in the baked products. Furthermore, β-carotene content was analyzed by HPLC-DAD, antioxidant capacity was measured with DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC, and total phenolic content was evaluated with the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Proximate composition and mineral content were also analyzed. Additionally, a preliminary sensory evaluation was conducted with 50 untrained consumer judges to assess acceptability of external appearance, texture, and taste. The inclusion of pumpkin flour significantly increased β-carotene content (up to 2.36 mg/100 g), total phenolics, and antioxidant activity of the baked crackers. Proximate analysis showed a marked improvement in fiber content and a slight reduction in energy value compared to wheat flour. Mineral analysis revealed that pumpkin flours exhibited significantly higher levels of K, Ca, Mg, and P, with improved but not always statistically significant retention in the final crackers. Freeze-dried flour retained more bioactive compounds and enhanced color. However, it also increased cracker hardness, particularly with dehydrated flour. Only the 10% freeze-dried formulation showed mechanical properties similar to those of the control. Sensory analysis indicated that all formulations were positively accepted, with the 10% freeze-dried sample showing the best balance in consumer preference across all evaluated attributes. Frozen pumpkin by-products can be effectively valorized through their incorporation into bakery products such as crackers, enhancing their nutritional and functional profile. Freeze-drying better preserves antioxidants and β-carotene, while a 10% substitution offers a balance between nutritional enrichment and technological performance and sensory acceptability. Full article

This study demonstrates an innovative single-gelator approach using agarose (1% and 2% w/w) to structure cold-pressed hemp oil into functional fat replacers for shortbread cookies, achieving a 40% reduction in saturated fatty acids compared to butter. Comprehensive characterization revealed that hydroleogels exhibited superior crispiness (45.67 ± 3.86 N for 2% agarose hydroleogel—HOG 2%) but problematic water activity (0.39–0.61), approaching microbial growth thresholds. Conversely, oleogels showed lower crispiness (2.27–3.43 N) but optimal moisture control (aw = 0.12–0.16) and superior color stability during 10-day storage. Electronic nose analysis using 10 metal oxide sensors revealed that oleogel systems preserved characteristic aroma profiles significantly better than hydroleogels, with 2% agarose oleogel (OG 2%) showing 34% less aroma decay than pure hemp oil. The 2% agarose oleogel demonstrated optimal performance with minimal baking loss (5.87 ± 0.20%), excellent structural integrity, and stable volatile compound retention over storage. Morphological analysis showed that hemp oil cookies achieved the highest specific volume (2.22 ± 0.07 cm³/g), while structured systems ranged from 1.12 to 1.31 cm³/g. This work establishes agarose as a versatile single gelator for hemp oil structuring and validates electronic nose technology for the objective quality assessment of fat-replaced bakery products, advancing healthier food design through molecular approaches. Full article

Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) has been proven to simultaneously cause oxidative damage to food and the death of microorganisms. In order to enhance the utilization of ¹O₂ in food systems, this review presents an overview of recent studies on the formation mechanisms of ¹O₂, the damage mechanisms of ¹O₂ on food, the self-protective mechanisms in food against ¹O₂, and the applications of ¹O₂ in food preservation based on the narrative review guidelines. Studies have shown that in vegetable and meat systems, ¹O₂ is mainly produced through photochemical reactions. It has been suggested that proteins and lipids are the main target compounds for oxygen in food. Natural antioxidants in food (such as vitamin E and carotenoids) can remove ¹O₂ through physical or chemical quenching mechanisms. Novel preservation techniques featuring a thin film technology coupled with photosensitizers have been employed on the surface of food to prolong the shelf life. However, how to balance the bactericidal effect of ¹O₂ and its oxidative effects on food still requires further research. It could be feasible that ¹O₂ will play an increasingly important role in the future food industry on the premise of strengthening supervision over food safety risks induced by ¹O₂. Full article

Spice by-products, often discarded as waste, represent an untapped resource for sustainable packaging solutions due to their unique, multifunctional, and bioactive profiles. Unlike typical plant residues, these materials retain diverse phytochemicals—including phenolics, polysaccharides, and other compounds, such as essential oils and vitamins—that exhibit controlled release antimicrobial and antioxidant effects with environmental responsiveness to pH, humidity, and temperature changes. Their distinctive advantage is in preserving volatile bioactives, demonstrating enzyme-inhibiting properties, and maintaining thermal stability during processing. This review encompasses a comprehensive characterization of phytochemicals, an assessment of the re-utilization pathway from waste to active materials, and an investigation of processing methods for transforming by-products into films, coatings, and nanoemulsions through green extraction and packaging film development technologies. It also involves the evaluation of their mechanical strength, barrier performance, controlled release mechanism behavior, and effectiveness of food preservation. Key findings demonstrate that ginger and onion residues significantly enhance antioxidant and antimicrobial properties due to high phenolic acid and sulfur-containing compound concentrations, while cinnamon and garlic waste effectively improve mechanical strength and barrier attributes owing to their dense fiber matrix and bioactive aldehyde content. However, re-using these residues faces challenges, including the long-term storage stability of certain bioactive compounds, mechanical durability during scale-up, natural variability that affects standardization, and cost competitiveness with conventional packaging. Innovative solutions, including encapsulation, nano-reinforcement strategies, intelligent polymeric systems, and agro-biorefinery approaches, show promise for overcoming these barriers. By utilizing these spice by-products, the packaging industry can advance toward a circular bio-economy, depending less on traditional plastics and promoting environmental sustainability in light of growing global population and urbanization trends. Full article