Search Results (344)

Background/Objectives: Lentils are part of the legume family, containing high proteins, minerals, fibers, and bioactive compounds. Although lentils are regarded as a functional food due to their health-promoting nutritional profile, the impacts of cultivar differences and cooking processes on their nutritional and functional properties are not fully understood. Methods: The nutrition composition (e.g., minerals) and water- or oil-holding capacity (WHC or OHC) of six major raw and cooked lentil types (red, yellow, green, brown, French green, black) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, as well as biochemical and biophysical assays. Results: The mineral, protein, fat, resistant starch, fiber (soluble and insoluble), and total phenolic content of raw lentils are significantly different across types. For instance, iron ranged from 4.6 mg/100 g to 6.8 mg/100 g and protein from 25% to 29%, with the highest levels observed in black lentils. Importantly, the cooking process was a primary factor determining the lentils’ final nutritional composition and functional properties. Compared to raw samples, cooked lentils exhibited marked increases in total dietary fiber (e.g., 38% in red lentils), resistant starch (e.g., 93% in red lentils), phenolic content (e.g., 110% in French green lentils), and oil-holding capacity (e.g., 52% in brown lentils). Conclusions: While the nutritional profiles of raw lentils vary significantly between types, their respective WHC and OHC remain relatively stable, and cooking processes enhance nutritional scoring metrics, such as increasing OHC and resistant starch. These data, particularly the high health indices of black lentils, highlight the nutritional value and health benefits of lentil types. Full article

Reducing sodium in meat products is nutritionally desirable, but salt reduction often weakens myofibrillar protein gelation and reduces texture quality and water retention. This study investigated the effects of L-lysine (Lys) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) on the physicochemical properties, gel characteristics, and structural changes of beef myofibrillar protein (MP) gels under low-salt conditions. The results indicated that reducing NaCl from 0.6 to 0.2 M decreased water-holding capacity (WHC), increased cooking loss, and produced a loose gel network. Compared with the 0.2 M NaCl group, the combined Lys-KGM treatment increased WHC from 28.53% to 56.70% and reduced cooking loss to 22.19% (p < 0.05). Texture analysis showed that Lys-KGM increased hardness and springiness by 69.40% and 80.43%, respectively (p < 0.05). LF-NMR indicated a higher proportion of immobilized water and reduced water mobility in the combined treatment. Lys increased reactive sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity, whereas KGM reduced surface hydrophobicity and enhanced water immobilization. Lys-KGM slightly but significantly decreased α-helix and increased β-sheet contents (p < 0.05), accompanied by changes in the relative contributions of intermolecular forces and a more continuous gel network. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations provided supporting evidence for different interaction patterns between myosin and Lys/KGM. These results suggested that Lys and KGM might help maintain the quality of low-salt meat protein gels and provide a formulation basis for reduced-sodium meat products. Full article

The impact of biochar on N conversion in drought-affected soil with green manure application has not been systematically investigated. Therefore, this study examined the effects of biochar produced at 350 °C, 550 °C, and 750 °C (BC350, BC550, and BC750) on green manure (Medicago sativa L.) decomposition and N turnover in soil (Hapli-Udic Ferralosol) during a 60-day laboratory incubation experiment under different moisture conditions (45% or 65% soil water-holding capacity (WHC)). Due to low-temperature biochar (BC350) possessing hydrophilicity (thereby enhancing water retention) due to its surface oxygen-containing functional groups, while high-temperature biochar (BC750) relies on the aromatic conjugated π-electron system for electron transfer, both BC350 and BC750 promoted green manure decomposition and mineralization. Compared with green manure alone, co-application of BC350 and BC750 with green manure increased soil NH₄⁺–N content by 5.58% and 38.37%, respectively. However, a significant total N loss (>11%) occurred under drought conditions. Partial least squares path modeling was used to elucidate the key driving pathways related to C and N sequestration in drought-affected soil with green manure and biochar co-application. The results indicate that the enhanced soil N loss could be attributed to both the biochar-induced rise in soil pH (>8%) and the drought-driven suppression of stable organic matter (e.g., >20% reduction in humus acid) and macroaggregate formation. This study demonstrates that although biochar addition can promote the decomposition of green manure to release available N, it may also exacerbate total soil N loss. Only under normal moisture conditions can the N released from green manure be converted into humus-associated N. Full article

Unrinsed surimi production has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional rinsed surimi due to its substantial water savings, reduced nutrient loss, and lower environmental footprint. However, poor gel strength and water-holding capacity remain major bottlenecks limiting its industrial application. This study investigated the effects of κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) on the rheological properties, textural characteristics, water distribution, intermolecular interactions, and microstructure of unrinsed surimi gels. The results showed that κ-CG enhanced gel properties in a concentration-dependent manner. At 0.75% κ-CG, gel strength increased to 47.0 g·cm (a 2.2-fold increase vs. control), water holding capacity (WHC) reached 97.9%, and cooking loss decreased to 4.0%. In contrast, at 1.0% κ-CG, gel strength and hardness further increased, but WHC declined slightly. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that κ-CG promoted the conversion of free water to immobilized water, with the relative peak area of T₂₂ (immobilized water) increasing from 85.9% to 88.9% at 0.75% κ-CG. Protein solubility measurements indicated that hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds appeared to be the major contributors stabilizing the gel network. FTIR revealed enhanced hydrogen bonding via an O–H red shift and intensification with κ-CG, and amide I deconvolution showed that 0.75% κ-CG maximized β-sheet content while reducing α-helix, indicating ordered protein reorganization during heating. Quantitative SEM analysis further verified that 0.75% κ-CG produced the densest protein network with the maximum fractal dimension and minimum lacunarity, alongside reduced average pore area and porosity. These findings demonstrate that κ-CG at an appropriate level effectively improves the gel properties of unrinsed tilapia surimi by strengthening intermolecular interactions and optimizing water distribution, offering a practical approach for developing high-quality surimi products. Full article

Hyperlipidemia is a chronic metabolic disorder driven by impaired lipid homeostasis. In this study, the steam explosion (SE)-assisted extraction was applied to obtain soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from ginger peel residue. Based on single-factor and orthogonal optimization experiments, SE treatment at a material-to-cavity ratio of 2:5 and a pressure of 1.5 MPa for 300 s achieved an SDF extraction yield of 8.20%, representing a 210.60% increase. Structural and physicochemical analyses showed that both SDF and SE-SDF were mainly composed of glucose, galactose and mannose. SE treatment generated a looser and more porous structure and significantly improved the thermal stability, water holding capacity (WHC) and swelling capacity (SC) of SE-SDF increasing by 38.89% and 30.77%, respectively (p < 0.05). In oleic acid/palmitic acid (OA/PA)-stimulated HepG2 cells, both SDF and SE-SDF reduced triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels in a dose-dependent manner, with SE-SDF showing a stronger hypolipidemic activity. Zebrafish experiments further confirmed that 200 µg/mL SE-SDF significantly reduced TG and TC levels by 30.58% and 24.89%, respectively, and decreased lipid deposition in the caudal vasculature and liver by 65.59% and 33.86%, respectively. These findings indicate that SE-SDF from ginger peel residue is a promising functional food ingredient for hyperlipidemia prevention. Full article

External corrosion of buried ferrous water mains remains the dominant driver of structural failure in aging water distribution networks, yet the mechanisms linking soil physical and chemical heterogeneity to corrosion kinetics and product phase evolution have not previously been synthesized into a unified critical framework. This review evaluates three partially competing accounts of electrochemical degradation—anodic dissolution coupled to oxygen reduction within porous rust layers, redox cycling of iron oxide phases driven by seasonal soil moisture fluctuations, and microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) mediated by direct extracellular electron transfer (EMIC) and chemical metabolite pathways (M-MIC)—and assesses the weight of evidence for each. We demonstrate that corrosion products retain electrochemical activity long after formation, functioning as dynamic redox mediators that continue the reactions responsible for their own growth: the reduction of lepidocrocite under anoxic conditions regenerates Fe²⁺ ions that sustain anodic dissolution and catalyze oxygen reduction, while repeated soil moisture cycles drive the irreversible transformation of γ-FeOOH to Fe₃O₄, which fundamentally alters the conductivity and cathodic capacity of the rust layer. The widely cited universal critical-moisture threshold of 65% water-holding capacity (WHC) is evaluated and found to be a single-point approximation contradicted by texture-resolved experimental data that show the critical degree of saturation ranges from S_r ≈ 0.5 in sand to S_r ≈ 0.8 in clay. Modern machine learning analyses of field corrosion databases confirm that chloride content, pH, pipe-to-soil potential, and water content are the four highest-ranked predictors of maximum pit depth, consistent with the mechanistic framework developed here. The classical cathodic depolarization model of SRB-driven corrosion is evaluated against EMIC evidence and found insufficient: measured pure-culture SRB corrosion current densities range from 14 to 135 µA cm⁻², not the milliampere-level values reported in some earlier reviews. An explicit research agenda is proposed to address the five most consequential unresolved mechanistic questions. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pomegranate syrup supplementation at levels of 0.0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% in the diets of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on performance parameters, including body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), hot and cold carcass weights and carcass yields; meat quality characteristics, including L*, a*, b* color values, pH, and water-holding capacity (WHC) of breast and thigh meat; and oxidative stress parameters, including total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI); as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPx7) gene expression. A total of 120 newly hatched quail chicks were used in the experiment. The birds were assigned according to a completely randomized design with 15 replicates per treatment group and 2 birds per replicate and were randomly distributed into 60 cage compartments. While cumulative body weight gain (CBWG) was not significantly affected during the other experimental weeks (p > 0.05), statistically significant differences among the groups were observed only in the second week (p < 0.05). Feed intake values were not significantly different among the groups throughout all weeks of the experiment (p > 0.05). However, feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly different among the groups during all weeks (p < 0.05), with the pomegranate syrup-supplemented groups generally showing improved (lower) values compared with the control group. The inclusion of pomegranate syrup in the diets did not produce significant differences among the groups in breast meat quality parameters, including color values (L*, a*, b*), pH, and water-holding capacity. The obtained L*, a*, b*, and pH values were within the reference ranges reported in the literature. Evaluation of oxidative stress parameters demonstrated that pomegranate syrup supplementation increased TAS values, while significantly reducing TOS and OSI values (p < 0.05). Furthermore, GPx7 gene expression increased in the pomegranate syrup-supplemented groups compared with the control group, with the highest expression observed at the 0.1% supplementation level. In addition, toxicological evaluations have confirmed the safety of pomegranate preparations, further supporting their potential as feed additives. Full article

To address water scarcity, environmental pollution from excessive fertilization, and the need for stable grain yields in the North China Plain (NCP), a 3-year field experiment (2021–2024) was conducted to explore the effects of water and nitrogen (N) management under subsurface drip irrigation on winter wheat–summer maize rotation system. This study included three irrigation treatments (irrigated to 80% (D1), 75% (D2), and 70% (D3) of field water-holding capacity (WHC) when soil water content dropped below 65%, 60%, and 55% of WHC, respectively) under N210 and four N application rates (0 (N0), 150 (N150), 210 (N210), and 270 (N270) kg N ha⁻¹ for each season) under D1. The results showed that D1 and N210 all significantly improved leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground biomass by reducing chlorophyllase and pheophytinase activities (delaying leaf senescence) and enhancing nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) activities (promoting N assimilation). Furthermore, compared with D3, D1 increased winter wheat and summer maize yields by 12.7% and 24.3%, respectively, and improved partial factor productivity (PFP) by 14.0–46.0%. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and structural equation modeling confirmed that LAI, biomass, and N-transforming enzyme activities were the key drivers of yield. This study demonstrated that the combination of D1 and N210 treatments were the optimal water and N fertilizer management strategies for achieving water conservation, N reduction, and stable high yields in drip-irrigated rotation systems of the NCP. Full article

To address the issues of rough mouthfeel and monotonous flavor in plant-based beverages, this study used extruded millet flour as the raw material, with non-inoculated millet paste as the control group, and investigated the effects of six different lactic acid bacteria starter culture formulations—including two single strains (Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) and four multi-strain consortia (2, 4, 10, and 12 strains)—on the quality of fermented millet beverages. The structural properties of the fermented millet beverages were systematically evaluated through WHC (Water Holding Capacity), LF-NMR (Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), RVA (Rapid Visco Analyzer), rheological properties, texture, particle size, and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) analyses, covering aspects such as water status, pasting behavior, viscoelasticity, textural characteristics, particle distribution, and molecular structure. In combination with volatile flavor profiling and sensory evaluation, the fermentation performance and applicability of each starter formulation were comprehensively assessed. The results showed that MFB-2 exhibited the highest viscosity and gel strength, making it suitable for thick-set products, whereas MFB-10 and MFB-12 demonstrated superior gel stability, water-holding capacity, and shelf life. Sensory evaluation further corroborated the flavor analysis, with MFB-12 showing the best aroma and overall acceptability, alongside the greatest diversity of volatile compounds, while MFB-10 presented milder acidity and favorable sensory acceptability. Collectively, MFB-10 and MFB-12 were identified as the most promising starter culture formulations for industrial-scale production of fermented millet beverages. This study provides a scientific basis for tailoring starter culture complexity to modulate the texture and flavor of plant-based fermented products. Full article

Production system may affect meat quality and muscle metabolic characteristics in Tibetan sheep. In this study, the biceps femoris muscles of twelve 3-year-old Tibetan sheep with similar body weights were used as experimental materials during a 6-month experimental period. The housed group (n = 6) was defined as the control group (C group), whereas the grazing group (n = 6) was defined as the L group. Meat quality measurement, nutritional composition analysis, untargeted lipidomics, and amino acid metabolomics (AAM) were integrated to investigate the effects of contrasting grazing and house-feeding production systems on meat quality and metabolic characteristics in Tibetan sheep. The results showed that cooking loss and drip loss were significantly decreased, whereas water-holding capacity (WHC) was significantly increased in the L group. However, shear force was also increased, indicating that grazing and house-feeding systems were associated with differences in muscle WHC and shear force. The L group exhibited significant alterations in lipid composition and increased concentrations of several n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and increased levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), including α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), suggesting that grazing and house-feeding systems were associated with differences in the lipid nutritional profile of muscle. Lipidomic analysis showed that the differential lipids were mainly enriched in triacylglycerols (TGs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and phosphatidylcholines (PCs), and several PUFA-containing TGs and membrane lipid molecules were closely associated with meat quality traits. AAM analysis showed that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including L-leucine and L-valine, as well as N,N-dimethylglycine, were upregulated in the L group, whereas kynurenine and 1-methyl-L-histidine were downregulated. These findings suggest that BCAA metabolism and tryptophan–kynurenine metabolism were associated with metabolic differences observed between production systems in muscle metabolic adaptation. However, amino acid metabolomics analysis revealed that no amino acid metabolites remained significant after FDR correction, and thus the observed pathway-level changes (e.g., BCAA metabolism and tryptophan–kynurenine pathway) should be interpreted as nominal and exploratory findings. Overall, the results indicate that feeding systems were associated with alterations in the lipid and amino acid metabolic profiles of the biceps femoris muscle in Tibetan sheep, which were further associated with differences in muscle WHC, shear force, lipid nutritional composition, and the profile of flavor precursors. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing plateau meat sheep production systems and developing high-quality Tibetan sheep meat products. Full article

In this study, sodium alginate/inulin (SA/IN) composite beads were fabricated using the calcium ion cross-linking method, which encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum to provide it with resistance in a gastrointestinal environment. The results showed that the SA/IN solution functioned as a kind of pseudoplastic fluid, and the storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) values exhibited a trend of frequency dependence. The diameter, water content, swelling rate, water holding capacity (WHC), and hardness of the composite beads were regulated by IN concentration, with IN making the beads rougher at first and then giving them a more regular shape as the concentration increased. The highest Lactobacillus plantarum encapsulation efficiency reached 92.8 ± 4.14%, and SA/IN beads improved the stability of Lactobacillus plantarum under 4 °C storage and heat treatment. The quantity of Lactobacillus plantarum reached 1.3 ± 0.01 CFU/g, which is close to the quantity observed before digestion. This study confirmed that SA/IN composite beads can serve as a protective carrier of Lactobacillus plantarum with prebiotic activity and can be used in functional food ingredients. Full article

The bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is an aquatic species of increasing commercial importance in Latin America; however, its muscles are highly perishable during ice storage. This study evaluated the effect of three edible coating treatments compared to a control (uncoated)—chitosan (CH), oregano oil (OO) and chitosan + oregano oil (CH-OO) on the physicochemical and microbiological quality of bullfrog legs stored on ice for 24 days. The color (CIE L*, a*, b*), texture (N), water-holding capacity (WHC), pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial counts were measured every three days. Compared to the control treatment on day 24, the CH-OO treatment most significantly delayed color changes (3.30) and affected the textural properties (21.29 to 12.28 N). The OO treatment moderated the pH increase (6.2 to 6.65) and controlled TVBN accumulation (13.91 to 29.37 mg N/100 g), while the CH treatment impacted the WHC. However, no treatment was effective in inhibiting bacterial growth, except for the OO treatment on day 9 for mesophilic control, although this effect was not sustained. These results demonstrate that chitosan, oregano oil and chitosan + oregano oil represent effective natural preservation strategies to extend the commercial shelf life of ice-stored bullfrog muscle, although under these experimental conditions, they did not work for controlling microbiological contamination. Full article

Drought impairs osmotic adjustment and photosynthetic performance in legumes; however, the role of micronutrients in modulating these responses across genotypes remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of selenium on the osmolytes and photosynthetic efficiency in two vegetable-soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) cultivars differing in drought responses: UVE14 (drought-tolerant) and UVE17 (drought-susceptible). Plants were grown under well-watered (100% soil water-holding capacity, WHC) and water-limited (30% soil WHC) conditions, with or without soil-applied selenium. Free amino acids, soluble sugars, chlorophyll pigments, vegetation indices, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were assessed at the flowering and pod-filling stages. Under drought conditions, selenium enhanced tolerance primarily by modulating free amino acid metabolism at flowering, increasing aspartate, asparagine, glutamine, and glutamate levels, alongside improvements in chlorophyll content, canopy greenness, and PSII photochemical efficiency. These responses indicate a coordinated adjustment between nitrogen metabolism and photosynthetic function. Both cultivars benefited from selenium application, although the responses were more pronounced in the susceptible cultivar (UVE17). Selenium-induced changes in soluble sugar content were greater under well-watered conditions in both cultivars. The limited accumulation of stress-associated osmolytes, such as proline, following selenium soil drench suggests reduced cellular disruption and mitigation of drought-induced stress. These findings highlight selenium as a context-dependent modulator of drought resilience and emphasize cultivar- and developmental stage-specific effects. Full article

Mashed potatoes (MP) are widely consumed starch-based foods. However, their shelf life is limited by starch retrogradation during low-temperature storage, which causes texture hardening, water exudation, and sensory deterioration. Although natural polysaccharides can modulate starch properties, the specific anti-retrogradation effect of soluble arabinoxylan (AX) in complex MP matrices remains unknown. In this study, the effects of AX on the physicochemical and sensory qualities of MP during 7 d of storage at 4 °C were comprehensively investigated. Results demonstrated that AX significantly reduced the rheological moduli (i.e., G′ and G″ values) and hardness of stored MP. Additionally, LF-NMR, XRD, FTIR and SEM analyses, together with water holding capacity (WHC) measurement, revealed that AX improved water retention and restricted water mobility of the system, delayed starch recrystallization, inhibited the formation of short-range ordered structures, and physically disrupted the starch microstructure, thereby attenuating the overall starch retrogradation process. Moreover, the addition of AX helped maintain the sensory appeal of the products. These findings suggest that AX modulates the structural evolution of the starch matrix during storage. This distinguishes the present work from conventional hydrocolloid studies by demonstrating that AX can simultaneously inhibit starch retrogradation, stabilize color, and maintain soft texture. This work highlights the potential of AX as a clean-label multifunctional modifier to extend the shelf life of starchy convenience foods. Full article

The application of pulsed electric fields (PEFs) as a pre-treatment in the meat industry offers significant potential for intensifying mass transfer processes. This study investigated the effect of PEF treatment at three energy levels (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 kJ/kg) on the efficiency of osmotic dehydration of pork loin using two ternary osmotic solutions: 5% NaCl + 40% maltose syrup and 10% NaCl + 40% maltose syrup. Key physicochemical and quality parameters were analyzed, including mass change, muscle tissue shrinkage, water-holding capacity (WHC), moisture content, salt content, and color attributes. The results demonstrated that PEF pre-treatment applied before osmotic dehydration significantly improved water-holding capacity and reduced water activity in pork. Moreover, the effect of the lowest tested energy level (0.1 kJ/kg) on dehydration-related parameters depended on the osmotic solution composition and was most evident in the 10% NaCl system after 6 h of dehydration, while this treatment also limited NaCl uptake by the tissue. A noticeable decrease in lightness (L*) and a shift toward negative b* values were also observed, which may be associated with structural condensation and reduced light scattering on the meat surface. Overall, the findings confirm that PEF pre-treatment combined with ternary osmotic solutions effectively modifies the physicochemical properties of pork, enabling the production of a stable product with distinctive quality characteristics and supporting process efficiency. The obtained results constitute a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge on the combined use of PEF and osmotic dehydration, as studies addressing this integrated approach in pork have not been published to date. Full article