Search Results (603)

The growing demand for sustainable protein ingredients has intensified interest in legumes as strategic raw materials for plant-based food applications. Legume proteins, mainly composed of globulins, albumins, vicilins, and legumins, exhibit relevant nutritional and techno-functional properties, including solubility, emulsification, foaming, gelation, and water- or oil-binding capacity. However, conventional extraction methods, particularly alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation, often involve extreme pH conditions, high water and chemical consumption, long processing times, and possible losses in protein functionality. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) has emerged as a promising process intensification strategy for improving protein recovery from legume matrices. Its mechanism is mainly associated with acoustic cavitation, which generates microjets, shear forces, shock waves, and microturbulence, promoting cellular disruption, solvent penetration, and mass-transfer enhancement. In addition to increasing extraction efficiency, UAE can induce controlled structural modifications in proteins, potentially improving solubility, emulsifying activity, foaming behavior, and gelation. Nevertheless, excessive sonication may cause aggregation, oxidation, and functional deterioration. This review discusses the principles, effects, advantages, and limitations of UAE for legume protein extraction, emphasizing its potential for the sustainable production of techno-functional plant-based protein ingredients. Full article

Rising feed costs and the shift towards circular bioeconomy systems have generated interest in agro-industrial by-products as livestock feeds, but the evidence on fruit pomaces is fragmented across single pomaces, single species and single processing methods. This review compares apple, citrus and grape pomaces against a common set of nutritional, processing, functional and environmental criteria, and grades the strength of the evidence supporting each comparison. Under particular species-, processing- and dose-specific conditions, properly prepared pomaces have been reported to improve ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, milk composition and oxidative status in ruminants, and gut health, antioxidant status and product quality in non-ruminants. Responses are heterogeneous, and null or adverse effects on intake, digestibility and performance also occur, particularly at high inclusion levels and with lignin- and tannin-rich material. Reductions in enteric methane have been measured in vivo for grape by-products in dairy cattle, whereas the evidence for citrus flavonoids remains in vitro; whole-system environmental and economic benefits are unquantified. Research priorities include standardised processing and compositional reporting, routine control of mycotoxins, pesticide residues and heavy metals, species-specific dose–response trials, and whole-chain techno-economic and life-cycle assessment. Full article

Although natural biopolymers represent promising sustainable packaging alternatives, their weak mechanical and barrier properties limit industrial use. While previous reviews focus on descriptive aspects of enzymatic modification, this review fills a critical literature gap by systematically bridging molecular-level laccase-driven reactions with quantitative techno-economic and safety and regulatory frameworks. We evaluate the kinetic and topological differences between direct tyrosyl-coupled protein homopolymerisation and mediator-assisted ‘graft-then-link’ polysaccharide strategies. Crucially, we analyse how entrapment versus surface-immobilised architectures dictate mass-transfer regimes, establishing their specific functional fitness for active oxygen scavenging or intelligent time-temperature monitoring. Beyond physical performance, we critically assess the translational bottlenecks currently hindering industrial scaling. For the first time, we integrate a quantitative techno-economic analysis using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework, demonstrating that active film fabrication costs (EUR 0.01–0.10/m²) are heavily offset by high-protein food waste savings (>EUR 2.00/kg). Finally, we navigate European and US regulatory landscapes for enzymatically active materials and evaluate safety risks via the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) model and deterministic migration modelling. This comprehensive analysis establishes a ‘Safe-by-Design’ paradigm, guiding the scalable development of intrinsically safe, high-performance biocatalytic packaging. Full article

Owing to their high nutritional value, functional proteins, and low environmental impact, legume proteins have emerged as sustainable alternatives to animal proteins. However, their broader utilization is constrained by antinutritional factors (ANFs), which can adversely affect protein digestibility, mineral bioavailability, and techno-functional features. Fermentation has appeared as a promising approach to overcoming these limitations. Through microbial and enzymatic activities, fermentation can reduce ANFs, modify protein structures, and promote proteolysis, generating peptides and free amino acids that may improve digestibility, bioavailability, and functional properties. This review critically explores the effects of fermentation on legume proteins, concentrating on ANF reduction, protein degradation and structural modification, proteolysis, and their consequences for nutritional and techno-functional properties. Particular attention is given to protein hydrolysis and peptide generation, as well as the limitations and potential trade-offs of fermentation, including extreme proteolysis, loss of desirable functional properties, unwanted sensory changes, variability among strains and substrates, and prolonged processing. The review also discusses the incorporation of fermented legume proteins into relevant food systems, with emphasis on their functional performance and application potential. Finally, current knowledge gaps and future research priorities are highlighted to support the development of controlled fermentation strategies for nutritionally improved, functionally tailored, and industrially feasible legume protein ingredients. Full article

Biomass and biowaste are heterogeneous renewable carbon resources whose moisture content, structural recalcitrance, ash, contaminants, and supply conditions constrain conversion pathways. This framework-oriented, semi-systematic narrative review searched the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus from 1 June to 30 June 2026 using 98 targeted search combinations and supplementary reference screening. The evidence base comprised primary studies, reviews, process simulations, techno-economic analyses, life cycle assessments, and pilot-, demonstration-, and commercial-scale reports. Because feedstocks, operating conditions, functional units, and system boundaries differed substantially, the evidence was synthesized qualitatively and selected quantitative results were retained as context-specific examples rather than pooled performance ranges. The review organizes established assessment dimensions into a six-module conceptual pathway-screening framework comprising feedstock characterization, selective separation, process integration, product portfolios, systems assessment, and engineering implementation. The synthesis shows that separation severity should be determined by downstream stream-quality requirements rather than maximum component recovery or purity. Process integration and multiproduct utilization can improve carbon and energy use but may increase purification, wastewater-treatment, and quality-control burdens. Recycling benefits depend on impurity accumulation, recovery demand, market capacity, and product qualification. Illustrative applications to air-dried cereal straw and dewatered municipal sewage sludge show that dry lignocellulosic and wet contaminant-bearing feedstocks require different separation, conversion, product, and recycling strategies. The principal contribution is the sequential linkage of established assessment dimensions through stream-quality requirements, incremental system consequences, and complete-chain engineering constraints. The framework supports conditional pathway screening but does not replace feedstock-specific TEA, LCA, or continuous engineering validation. Full article

Bone working is considered a key characteristic of the Oakhurst period (c. 14–8 ka) in southern Africa. Yet few detailed studies and regional analyses have been undertaken on worked bone from this time period. Here, we present a dedicated techno-functional study of worked bone from the Oakhurst period at three sites across South Africa: Jubilee Shelter, Rose Cottage Cave, and Nelson Bay Cave. Our results show a chaîne opératoire that uses bipartition and segmentation during the reduction sequence and prioritises function over style or decoration. Usewear results indicate that bone tools were likely used in animal skin processing, leather working and plant working activities and in the production of minimally modified bone beads. The usewear recorded here highlights the considerable amount of time dedicated to processing and production during the Oakhurst and adds to our understanding of the range of activities, particularly those involving perishable plant-based materials, practiced from 14 to 8 ka in southern Africa. Full article

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a high-protein legume limited by its sensory profile and antinutritional factors like RFOs (Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides). The impact of solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on properties of starch-(SF) and protein-rich (PF) faba bean flours was investigated. Proximate composition, amino acid profile, digestible carbohydrates, organic acid contents, and techno-functional properties were determined. Sensory properties of SF- and PF-based crepes were also assessed. SSF reduced digestible carbohydrates by 10% (SF) and 22% (PF). RFOs concentration decreased by 39% in SF after SSF. Malic and acetic acids increased in both fractions. In PF, glutamic and aspartic acids increased (14.09 and 8.41%, respectively), whereas lysine decreased, suggesting protein structural modifications without compromising nutritional quality. Water absorption capacity rose by 12.41% (SF) and 6.7% (PF), while oil absorption capacity improved only in SF (22.63%). Water solubility decreased by 43.78% and 23.76% in SF and PF. Finally, compared to crepes made with unfermented flour, those prepared with fermented PF received a global acceptance 48.50% more favorable. These findings highlight SSF with S. cerevisiae as a promising strategy to improve sensory properties and expand the application of faba bean flour fractions as functional ingredients in plant-based food products. Full article

Convective fruit drying is energy-intensive and a major greenhouse gas (GHG) source in the agri-food sector. Existing carbon footprint (CF) studies are fragmented, separating emissions accounting from economic performance and quality verification, limiting their usefulness for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking practical decarbonization actions. This study proposes an integrated, verification-oriented framework linking organizational carbon accounting, process engineering, and product quality within a unified decision platform. The framework combines (i) GHG quantification (ISO 14064-1:2018 and ISO 14067:2018); (ii) techno-economic modeling via process simulation; (iii) experimental validation of quality attributes (moisture, water activity, color, texture); and (iv) sensitivity analysis. The framework was applied to four energy configurations: baseline and three decarbonization scenarios (solar thermal, photovoltaic (PV), and combined). The baseline footprint was 139,090 kg CO₂e (±11.43%). Emission reductions ranged from 15.05% to 34.73%, with the combined solar-PV configuration achieving the highest mitigation while maintaining commercial quality. Emission intensity dropped from 1.19 to 0.78 kg CO₂e per functional unit. Economic performance showed payback periods of 5.78–10.54 years and IRRs of 15.8–24.2%. This framework provides a transferable tool for SMEs to prioritize decarbonization strategies based on integrated environmental, economic, and quality criteria. Full article

Health systems are complex adaptive systems whose structural uncertainty limits prediction-based planning, and generative AI is increasingly proposed to enrich the foresight used to navigate them. Whether cheaper, more fluent scenario production actually improves collective strategic judgement, however, remains largely untested in real organisations. This article reports a research-through-design study of an AI-assisted participatory foresight process run for the planned Girona Health Campus (Catalonia): ten domain workshops with about 250 professionals, 170 AI-assisted scenario drafts, and an organisation-wide SmartDelphi validation. Reconstructing the process abductively from its documentation, three behaviours recur. Generation increased the number of scenarios but not the range of futures they covered, pulling repeatedly toward technological resolution: 80% of the analysed scenarios referenced technology and 61% were legible as techno-optimistic accounts. The decisive work therefore migrated downstream to synthesis, where situated meaning was preserved, diluted, or lost. The characteristic failure mode was not poor output but over-trust in fluent output, which participants countered only when the design required them to contest and restate it. Validation itself functioned as organisational diagnostics, exposing a consistent desirability–feasibility gap that varied with the kind of change each future demanded. We consolidate these findings into five transferable design principles and argue that, once the capacity to imagine futures becomes abundant, methodological attention must shift from producing more scenarios to managing that abundance while safeguarding quality. Full article

The extensive use of petroleum-based packaging materials has generated significant environmental concerns because of their poor biodegradability and their contribution to plastic pollution. Growing attention has therefore been directed toward sustainable packaging systems derived from renewable resources. Among these alternatives, proteins recovered from pea-processing by-products have emerged as promising film-forming materials because of their biodegradability, renewability, and compatibility with circular-bioeconomy principles. This review critically synthesises, rather than merely catalogues, the development of pea protein-based films produced with different biopolymer matrices, with emphasis on fabrication methods, film-formation mechanisms, physicochemical and mechanical properties, barrier performance, and antimicrobial/antioxidant functionality. Where the literature reports conflicting or concentration-dependent results—for example, the divergent effect of essential oil type on tensile strength, or the existence of optimal polyphenol-loading thresholds beyond which mechanical and barrier performance deteriorate—mechanistic explanations grounded in protein additive interactions, cross-link density, and matrix polarity are proposed and discussed. Quantitative barrier and mechanical data extracted from the reviewed studies are compiled and compared on a normalised basis, and the regulatory, safety, and scale-up barriers relevant to active pea protein-based packaging (EU food-contact-material compliance, migration testing, allergenicity, and life-cycle assessment) are discussed explicitly given the review’s focus on active food packaging. Overall, pea protein-based biodegradable films represent a promising and scientifically active alternative to petroleum-derived packaging materials, but their translation to commercial active-packaging products will depend on resolving moisture sensitivity, establishing standardised testing protocols, and generating the regulatory and techno-economic evidence base that is currently lacking. Full article

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is a brewing by-product with potential as a sustainable protein source. However, its limited amino acid profile and weak gelation properties limit its use in plant-based yoghurt alternatives (YAs). This study evaluated the compositional and techno-functional properties of brewers’ spent grain protein isolate (BSGI), pea protein isolate (PPI), mung bean protein isolate (MBP), and chickpea protein concentrate (CPC), and investigated their suitability in fermented YAs. BSGI was deficient in lysine, while PPI and MBP were limited in sulfur amino acids, highlighting the potential nutritional complementarity of cereal-legume protein blends. BSGI was blended with each legume ingredient at a fixed 50:50 ratio and fermented to a pH of 4.5 using a Streptococcus thermophilus culture. All YAs contained over 3.0% protein and showed improved indispensable amino acid profiles. The BSGI + MBP blend demonstrated the highest water retention, firmness, consistency, and rheological strength, followed by BSGI + PPI, whereas BSGI + CPC had the weakest gel structure. These formulation-level differences cannot be attributed solely to the intrinsic functionality of the individual protein ingredients, as protein content and non-protein components, particularly dietary fibre, differed among formulations. Overall, BSGI shows potential for incorporation into mixed plant-protein YAs and supports further optimisation of sustainable cereal-legume protein systems. Full article

Rubus ulmifolius Schott is an invasive bramble whose recurrently removed biomass may contain nutritionally useful leaves and young shoots. This narrative and translational review evaluates whether that biomass can be investigated as a candidate sheep supplement without encouraging its spread. Species-specific evidence shows marked seasonal and fraction-dependent variation in crude protein, fiber, lignin and tannin activity, whereas controlled sheep-feeding data remain scarce. Goat browsing observations and general studies of tannin-rich feeds support only indirect hypotheses regarding intake, rumen nitrogen metabolism, methane, microbiome composition, oxidative status, product quality and parasite resilience. Key constraints include mature-cane lignification, thorns and selective refusal, uncertain dose–response, processing effects, contamination and propagule biosecurity. We therefore define functional browse as an unvalidated, outcome-dependent designation and propose a staged evidence pathway: local biomass mapping and no-spread harvest; fraction-specific chemical and phytochemical characterization; in vitro digestibility, polyethylene-glycol and methane screening; short-term sheep acceptability and safety; controlled dose–response trials; targeted mechanistic studies; and farm-scale techno-economic and ecological validation. Current evidence supports R. ulmifolius as a candidate for structured evaluation, not as a proven practical feed. Any future use should be local, traceable, fruit-free or seed-inactivated, and contingent on maintained intake, digestibility, welfare and performance. Full article

Soy protein, apple fiber, and corn starch are widely used functional ingredients, yet their combined effects on food matrix properties remain poorly characterized. A D-optimal mixture design (16 runs) was used to evaluate how these three components, individually and in binary and ternary combinations, determine the proximate composition, CIELab color parameters, and techno-functional properties (water and oil absorption and solubility, pH, apparent density, emulsifying and foaming capacity, least gelation concentration, and foam stability over 120 min) of model blends. Response surface models were statistically significant for 19 of the 21 responses evaluated (R² = 0.70–1.00, p ≤ 0.05); water and oil absorption capacity did not reach significance (R² = 0.66–0.72, p > 0.05). Formulation was the main driver of the system’s behavior. Starch increased moisture, carbohydrate content, and lightness; protein determined ash, protein content, and water solubility; and fiber dominated crude fiber, lipid content, and red–yellow chromaticity, producing the greatest total color difference relative to pure starch. Unlike composition and color, which followed largely additive, single-ingredient-driven trends, interfacial functionality was governed by strong binary interactions: a synergistic protein–fiber interaction dominated emulsifying capacity (positive) and foaming capacity (strongly negative, almost completely suppressing foam formation even at protein levels comparable to the pure-protein vertex), while a synergistic protein–starch interaction enhanced foam stability. Water and oil absorption capacities varied within narrow, statistically non-significant ranges, indicating structural rather than compositional control. These findings show that mixture design and response surface methodology can quantitatively predict and tune the physicochemical, color, and functional performance of protein–fiber–starch blends, providing a practical framework for designing plant-based functional ingredients with targeted nutritional and technological profiles. Full article

Buckwheat husk is the major by-product produced during buckwheat processing. However, despite its high nutritional and functional value, it remains underutilized as an ingredient in functional foods. This review summarizes current knowledge on the botanical origin, chemical composition, extraction approaches, and bioactive properties of buckwheat husk. Particular emphasis is placed on its high content of insoluble dietary fiber and phenolic compounds, especially rutin, which contribute to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Advances in conventional and green extraction techniques used to obtain buckwheat husk concentrates, including ultrasound- and microwave-assisted methods, are discussed. The techno-functional properties of buckwheat husk, such as water- and oil-holding capacity, emulsifying potential, and texture modification, are evaluated in relation to food applications. Reported uses in bakery products, pasta, dairy foods, beverages, and meat systems are critically reviewed. Safety aspects, allergenicity, and antinutritional factors are also considered. Overall, buckwheat husk is positioned as an underutilized resource with significant potential for sustainable functional food development. Full article

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable organic resource on Earth and represents a sustainable feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion. However, the complex association of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose restricts microbial access, slows hydrolysis, and ultimately constrains methane yields from this resource. While existing reviews assess biological pretreatment and bioaugmentation as discrete interventions, this review evaluates their integration as complementary strategies for overcoming the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass. As mechanistically distinct interventions, biological pretreatment mitigates substrate recalcitrance through selective lignin modification and biomass deconstruction, whereas bioaugmentation strengthens microbial functionality by enriching specialised populations that enhance hydrolytic, fermentative, and methanogenic activity. Integrating these approaches may therefore constitute an environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient, and process-compatible alternative to conventional thermochemical pretreatments. Limited available evidence indicates that when integrated, these strategies can improve lignocellulose digestibility, enhance process stability, and increase biomethane production. However, due to limited studies that explicitly combine biological pretreatment and bioaugmentation within a single experimental framework, claims regarding sustainability, energy efficiency, or economic advantages should be treated cautiously unless supported by direct life-cycle or techno-economic evidence. Key knowledge gaps include the mechanistic basis of their interactions, optimisation of microbial consortia and operating conditions, long term process stability, and scalability under industrially relevant conditions. Future research should prioritise integrated, systems level investigations that link substrate transformation with microbial community dynamics and evaluate techno-economic feasibility at larger scales. Addressing these challenges will be critical for advancing sustainable industrial biogas production from lignocellulosic biomass. Full article