Regulation of the Ice â to Ice III high pressure phase transition meta-stability in milk and its bactericidal effects.

This study was focused on a novel approach of creating perturbations under high pressure (HP) meta-stable Ice Ⅰ to Ice Ⅲ phase transition and its bactericidal effects. Experiments were carried out under subzero high pressure processing conditions using Escherichia coli suspended in milk, and the microbial inactivation before and after the meta-stable state regulation was compared. The phase transition position of unperturbed milk was 302 MPa/-37.5 °C. The volume change resulting from the phase transition was employed as the perturbation mechanism. Glucose (5 %, 20 %) and sodium chloride solutions (5 %, 20 %) were used as regulatory sources. Glucose solutions accelerated the phase change of the milk better than the sodium chloride solution and resulted in an optimum phase transition position of milk at 243 MPa/-30.6 °C. The induced perturbations accelerated meta-stable transformation and enhanced the microbial destruction. At 330 MPa/3s, compared to the unfrozen samples, the lethality of E. coli in the frozen-regulated samples significantly increased by 1.79 log. The relationship between the E. coli inactivation within the phase change pressure range and the pressure was not continuous, but a segmented one, both before and after meta-stable state regulation. A higher level of E. coli destruction was accomplished by a 5 min pressure-holding of frozen samples at 220 MPa and 280 MPa as compared to the one-pulse and two-pulses treatments without holding time. The maximum lethality of 6.73 log was achieved at 280 MPa/5 min in the frozen-regulated application.

Bioactive Compound-Loaded Nanocarriers for Hair Growth Promotion: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Hair loss (alopecia) has a multitude of causes, and the problem is still poorly defined. For curing alopecia, therapies are available in both natural and synthetic forms; however, natural remedies are gaining popularity due to the multiple effects of complex phytoconstituents on the scalp with fewer side effects. Evidence-based hair growth promotion by some plants has been reported for both traditional and advanced treatment approaches. Nanoarchitectonics may have the ability to evolve in the field of hair- and scalp-altering products and treatments, giving new qualities to hair that can be an effective protective layer or a technique to recover lost hair. This review will provide insights into several plant and herbal formulations that have been reported for the prevention of hair loss and stimulation of new hair growth. This review also focuses on the molecular mechanisms of hair growth/loss, several isolated phytoconstituents with hair growth-promoting properties, patents, in vivo evaluation of hair growth-promoting activity, and recent nanoarchitectonic technologies that have been explored for hair growth.

Facilitation of metastable ice â - ice III phase transition of liquid foods at high-pressure sub-zero temperature by perturbation.

In this study, the distribution of ice Ⅰ - ice III phase transition positions and its influencing factors on various fruit juices and food model solutions under high pressure (HP) were investigated. In addition, the effect of perturbation on induction of phase change in metastable apple juice was also explored. The phase transition positions of fruit juice samples deviated far from the theoretical value (210 MPa/ -21 °C), with pressure in range of 268 âˆ¼ 305 MPa and temperature between -31.09 °C and -37.21 °C, with the most extreme phase transition position of 305 MPa/ -37.21 °C for apple juice. The phase change position was affected by the type of solution but not by the concentration of solutions. The cooling media namely, sodium chloride (5%, 20%) and glucose solution (5%, 20%) were used as perturbation sources to stimulate the metastable apple juice by using instantaneous volume reduction during the ice Ⅰ - ice III phase transition. They successfully promoted the phase transition of apple juice, where 20% sodium chloride solution significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the phase change pressure of apple juice to 239 MPa. The perturbation effect was influenced by the type and concentration of the perturbation source, the composition of the cavity area and the softness of the sample container.

An Automated Image Processing Module for Quality Evaluation of Milled Rice.

The paper demonstrates a low-cost rice quality assessment system based on image processing and machine learning (ML) algorithms. A Raspberry-Pi based image acquisition module was developed to extract the structural and geometric features from 3081 images of eight different varieties of rice grains. Based on features such as perimeter, area, solidity, roundness, compactness, and shape factor, an automatic identification system is developed to segment the grains based on their types and classify them by using seven machine learning algorithms. These ML models are trained using the images and are compared using different ML models. ROC curves are plotted for each model for quantitative analysis to assess the model's performance. It is concluded that the random forest classifier presents an accuracy of 77 percent and is the best-performing model for the classification of rice varieties. Furthermore, the same algorithm is efficiently employed to determine the price of adulterated rice samples based upon the market price of individual rice.

Antibacterial activity of essential oils from different parts of plants against Salmonella and Listeria spp.

Essential oils (EOs) have recently gained popularity as natural food preservatives due to their potent antibacterial activity against food pathogens. In this review, the antibacterial activity of EOs from various plant parts and sources against the most important food pathogens Salmonella and Listeria have been discussed. The antibacterial activity of EOs is attributed to their major and minor low-molecular weight terpenes, terpenoids, phenylpropenes and aliphatic components. The major compounds along with minor components of EO extracted from different parts of various plant species were found to be responsible for antibacterial activity. The combination of EO from different sources presented synergistic anti-listerial and anti-salmonella effects. EO combined with biopolymer and in nanoemulsion form presented significant antibacterial activity. The mode of antibacterial action by EO was complex and involves a series of event that has also been discussed in detail.

Recent Progress in the Synergistic Bactericidal Effect of High Pressure and Temperature Processing in Fruits and Vegetables and Related Kinetics.

BACKGROUND: Traditional thermal processing is a widely used method to ensure food safety. However, thermal processing leads to a significant decline in food quality, especially in the case of fruits and vegetables. To overcome this drawback, researchers are extensively exploring alternative non-thermal High-Pressure Processing (HPP) technology to ensure microbial safety and retaining the sensory and nutritional quality of food. However, HPP is unable to inactivate the spores of some pathogenic bacteria; thus, HPP in conjunction with moderate- and low-temperature is employed for inactivating the spores of harmful microorganisms. Scope and approach: In this paper, the inactivation effect of high-pressure and high-pressure thermal processing (HPTP) on harmful microorganisms in different food systems, along with the bactericidal kinetics model followed by HPP in certain food samples, have been reviewed. In addition, the effects of different factors such as microorganism species and growth stage, process parameters and pressurization mode, and food composition on microbial inactivation under the combined high-pressure and moderate/low-temperature treatment were discussed. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The establishment of a reliable bactericidal kinetic model and accurate prediction of microbial inactivation will be helpful for industrial design, development, and optimization of safe HPP and HPTP treatment conditions.

Comparison of wheatgrass juices from colored wheat (white, black, blue, and purple) for health promoting phytochemicals.

Wheatgrass juice is a low-acid functional drink extracted from white wheat seedlings. It is cherished by consumers due to its potent health benefits. The present study was conducted to develop and analyze wheatgrass juice from colored wheat lines to meet consumers increasing demand for a novel functional drink. The conventional lyophilized wheatgrass juice powder (WJLP) was found to contain significant chlorophyll content (0.3%), soluble phenolic content (0.6%), protein content (20%), moderate essential amino acid index (EAAI; 86%), high K (RDA; 11.6%) and antioxidant activity. Whereas, black WJLP had 564.2% higher anthocyanins, 30.5% higher chlorophyll, 87.5% higher soluble phenolic content, 10.2% higher proteins, 31.5% higher EAAI, and 112.5% higher antioxidant activity compared to white WJLP. Overall, the biochemical parameters of WJLP were increased in the order of white < blue < purple < black. The findings indicate that a proper cultivar selection can improve the nutritional value of wheatgrass juice.

Application of vibrational spectroscopic techniques for determination of thermal degradation of frying oils and fats: a review.

Deep fried foods are popular among consumers due to their unique taste and texture. During the process of deep-frying, oil is subjected to a high temperature that results into the generation of harmful compounds. The repeated usage of frying oil is a common exercise and associated with various health hazards. Thus, determination of frying oil quality is a critical practice to follow. The chemical methods employed to determine the quality of frying oil are destructive and require large amount of harmful chemical, thus researchers are exploring the application of various vibrational spectroscopic techniques for this purpose. The first part of this review provides a detailed insight into fundamental theoretical aspects of two main vibrational spectroscopic techniques (infrared and Raman spectroscopy) and chemical alteration in frying oils under thermal stress. While in the following parts, the application of near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy for evaluating the quality of various frying oils and fats under thermal stress has been discussed. It is anticipated that this review paper can serve as a reference source for impending research in this field.

Impact of Germination Time on Resveratrol, Phenolic Acids, and Antioxidant Capacities of Different Varieties of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linn.) from China.

In China, peanut sprouts are popular among consumers as functional vegetables. This study reports the change in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), monomeric anthocyanin content (MAC), vitamin C, trans-resveratrol content, antioxidant capacities, and phenolic profile of three different varieties of peanut during 8 days of germination. The TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity of peanut samples were reduced and then increased with an increase in germination time. TFC values were highly correlated with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values. MAC values of peanuts were first increased and then decreased during 8 days of germination. The TFC, DPPH, and FRAP values of germinated peanuts were lower compared to the non-germinated peanut. Germination of peanut samples enhanced the total phenolic acids and trans-resveratrol content, but the vitamin C content of peanut sprouts was lower than ungerminated peanuts.

Impact of processing technologies on isoflavones, phenolic acids, and antioxidant capacities of soymilk prepared from 15 soybean varieties.

In the present study, soymilk samples were prepared from 15 soybean varieties by employing dry method-raw slurry filtration (D-BAF), dry method-cooked slurry filtration (D-BBF), wet method-raw slurry filtration (W-BAF), and wet method-cooked slurry filtration (W-BBF). Different varieties of soybean and processing techniques were found to impose a significant impact on total phenolics, total flavonoids, phenolic acids, isoflavones and antioxidant capacity of soymilk samples. Overall, the soymilk prepared by W-BAF exhibited a higher level of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The soymilk samples prepared by W-BBF presented higher values for total flavonoid content and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay. The soymilk prepared by W-BBF presented higher subtotal values of phenolic acids. In comparison, the soymilk prepared by D-BAF exhibited high amount of total isoflavones followed by the soymilk processed by W-BAF. Overall, the wet method was found to be responsible for improved phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of soymilk sample.

Rapid Determination of ß-Glucan Content of Hulled and Naked Oats Using near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics.

The quantification of ß-glucan in oats is of immense importance for plant breeders and food scientists to develop plant varieties and food products with a high quantity of ß-glucan. However, the chemical analysis of ß-glucan is time consuming, destructive, and laborious. In this study, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with Chemometrics was employed for rapid and non-destructive prediction of ß-glucan content in oats. The interval Partial Least Square (iPLS) along with correlation matrix plots were employed to analyze the NIR spectrum from 700-1300 nm, 1300-1900 nm, and 1900-2500 nm for the selection of important wavelengths for the prediction of ß-glucan. The NIR spectral data were pre-treated using Savitzky Golay smoothening and normalization before employing partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. The PLSR models were established based on the selection of wavelengths from PLS loading plots that present a high correlation with ß-glucan content. It was observed that wavelength region 700-1300 nm is sufficient for the satisfactory prediction of ß-glucan of hulled and naked oats with R2c of 0.789 and 0.677, respectively, and RMSE < 0.229.

An Investigation on Phenolic and Antioxidant Capacity of Under-utilized Food Legumes Consumed in China.

China is a major producer of various kinds of food legumes. Some of the under-utilized food legumes are consumed by the local society from different areas in China. The antioxidant capacity and phytochemical profile of these under-utilized food legumes haven't been investigated until now. In this study, colorimetric and high-performance liquid chromatography was employed to explore the antioxidant capacity and phytochemical profile of 21 under-utilized food legumes. Different legumes under investigation exhibit a wide range of variations in their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC) and condensed tannins content (CTC). Among all the legume samples, the velvet bean from Hechi, Guangxi exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity while the white flat bean from Shangrao, Shanxi presented the least antioxidant capacity. Gallic acid was observed to be a major phenolic acid and its content in the velvet bean was significantly higher compared to the other legume samples explored in this study. The composition of flavonoids was different among all the legumes. Kaempferol was observed to be the most predominant flavonoid. The findings of this study will be beneficial for plant breeders, food scientists and consumers for the better selection of germplasm with a high level of phytochemicals that in turn possess maximum health benefits.

Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant Capacities of Chestnuts Produced in Different Geographic Area in China.

This study aimed to systematically assess the phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacities of 21 chestnut samples collected from six geographical areas of China. All these samples exhibit significant differences (p < 0.05) in total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), condensed tannin content (CTC) and antioxidant capacities assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging capacity (DPPH), ABTS free radical scavenging capacities (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 14 free phenolic acids. Chestnuts collected from Fuzhou, Jiangxi (East China) exhibited the maximum values for TPC (2.35 mg GAE/g), CTC (13.52 mg CAE/g), DPPH (16.74 µmol TE/g), ABTS (24.83 µmol TE/g), FRAP assays (3.20 mmol FE/100g), and total free phenolic acids (314.87 µg/g). Vanillin and gallic acids were found to be the most abundant free phenolic compounds among other 14 phenolic compounds detected by HPLC. Overall, the samples from South China revealed maximum mean values for TPC, CTC, DPPH, and ABTS assays. Among the three chestnut varieties, Banli presented prominent mean values for all the assays. These finding will be beneficial for production of novel functional food and developing high-quality chestnut varieties.

Effects of UV-C treatment and ultrafine-grinding on the biotransformation of ergosterol to vitamin D2, physiochemical properties, and antioxidant properties of shiitake and Jew's ear.

In the present study, the impact of ultraviolet (UV)-C treatment and ultrafine grinding on the conversion of ergosterol to vitamin D2, physiochemical properties, and antioxidant properties of shiitake and Jew's ear was assessed. After exposure to UV-C, vitamin D2 contents of both the mushroom samples has increased significantly (p < 0.05). Whereas, ultrafine grinding along with UV-C treatment has a synergistic effect on bioconversion of ergosterol to vitamin D2 and this effect is more prominent in low dose UV-C irradiation groups (2 kJ/m2). Ultrafine grinding significantly (p < 0.05) improved the water holding capacity (WHC), water solubility index (WSI) and polysaccharide dissolution rate (PDR). However, UV-C treatment led to insignificant changes in the physiochemical properties of mushroom samples. A significant improvement was also observed in the antioxidant profiles especially tannin contents of mushrooms followed by the ultrafine grinding and UV-C treatment.

A Concise Review on the Molecular Structure and Function Relationship of ß-Glucan.

ß-glucan is a non-starch soluble polysaccharide widely present in yeast, mushrooms, bacteria, algae, barley, and oat. ß-Glucan is regarded as a functional food ingredient due to its various health benefits. The high molecular weight (Mw) and high viscosity of ß-glucan are responsible for its hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic properties. Thus, ß-glucan is also used in the food industry for the production of functional food products. The inherent gel-forming property and high viscosity of ß-glucan lead to the production of low-fat foods with improved textural properties. Various studies have reported the relationship between the molecular structure of ß-glucan and its functionality. The structural characteristics of ß-glucan, including specific glycosidic linkages, monosaccharide compositions, Mw, and chain conformation, were reported to affect its physiochemical and biological properties. Researchers have also reported some chemical, physical, and enzymatic treatments can successfully alter the molecular structure and functionalities of ß-glucan. This review article attempts to review the available literature on the relationship of the molecular structure of ß-glucan with its functionalities, and future perspectives in this area.

A systematic investigation on free phenolic acids and flavonoids profiles of commonly consumed edible flowers in China.

Edible flowers of ornamental plants are non-toxic flowers that have been used since ancient times for their nutritional and health benefits. These health benefits are attributed to their phytochemicals such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. These phytochemicals exert positive health effects on chronic diseases such as cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. This research paper is focused on the systematic investigation of free phenolic acids and flavonoids (including anthocyanins) present in 70 commonly consumed edible flowers collected from local parks and Qingping market of Guangzhou, China. The phenolic acids and flavonoids of flower samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector. The phenolic acids, flavones, flavonols, flavanones, and anthocyanins of different flower samples exhibit a wide range of variation. Gallic acid (1177.8-27717.2 µg/g), protocatechuic acid (66.7-9641.2 µg/g), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (43.6-1792.7 µg/g), quercitrin and hesperidin (49.9-14576.6 µg/g), and quercetin and luteolin (8.8-480.0 µg/g) were the predominant phenolic compounds in edible flowers samples under investigation. Anthocyanins were detected only in 14 kinds of flower samples and most of these flowers were of red or purple colour.

Application of vibrational spectroscopy for classification, authentication and quality analysis of mushroom: A concise review.

Chemical compositions of mushrooms are greatly dependent on the geographical region, and also the different parts of the same mushroom have different chemical constitutions. Several chemical methods are employed for quality control of mushrooms. However, these methods are destructive, require skilled personnel and are time consuming. To overcome these limitations researchers are aiming for vibrational spectroscopic techniques. This review is focused on various studies related to the application of vibrational spectroscopy for classification, authentication and quality analysis of mushrooms. It was concluded that vibrational spectroscopy could be efficiently employed for assessing the quality, authenticity and geographical origin of the mushrooms. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were the most explored, whereas, Raman spectroscopy is the least explored technique in this field. Compact and cost-effective spectrometers based on the selective wavelengths have to be designed and installed at commercial and industrial level for rapid quality control of mushrooms.

A critical review on anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects of dietary resistant starch.

"Diabesity" is the term to illustrate the interdependent relationship between obesity and diabetes. About 80% of the diabetic patients are diagnosed with obesity. Diabesity can be prevented by dietary interventions, especially by incorporating sufficient amount of resistant starch (RS). In the past few decades, RS has inspired the researchers due to its various health benefits. Differing from digestible starch, RS remains undigested in the small intestine, but in the large intestine, it is subjected to fermentation. This review intends to encapsulate the current information related to the dietary RS on diabetes and obesity. RS attenuate hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and hyperlipidemic response in various subjects by restricting gluconeogenesis, bolstering glycogenesis, maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis and ameliorating pancreatic dysfunction. Various food products were fortified with RS to enhance its dietary intake and were found to exhibit positive impact on human and animal models. This review identified and summarized the research gaps in the available literature.

Impact of infrared treatment on quality and fungal decontamination of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) inoculated with Aspergillus spp.

BACKGROUND: Mung bean is a rich source of protein, carbohydrates and fiber content. It also exhibits a high level of antioxidant activity due to the presence of phenolic compounds. Aspergillus flavus and A. niger are the two major fungal strains associated with stored mung bean that lead to post-harvest losses of grains and also cause serious health risks to human beings. Thus there is a need to explore an economical decontamination method that can be used without affecting the biochemical parameters of grains. RESULTS: It was observed that infrared (IR) treatment of mung bean surface up to 70 °C for 5 min at an intensity of 0.299 kW m-2 led to complete visible inhibition of fungal growth. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that surface irregularities and physical disruption of spores coat are the major reasons behind the inactivation of IR-treated fungal spores. It was also reported that IR treatment up to 70 °C for 5 min does not cause any negative impact on the biochemical and physical properties of mung bean. CONCLUSION: From the results of the present study, it was concluded that IR treatment at 70 °C for 5 min using an IR source having an intensity of 0.299 kW m-2 can be successfully used as a method of fungal decontamination. The fungal spore population was reduced (approximately 5.3 log10 CFU g-1 reductions) without significantly altering the biochemical and physical properties of grains. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.