Unlocking hot trub's potential: a simple method for extracting bitter acids and xanthohumol.

BACKGROUND: Hot trub is a macronutrient- and micronutrient-rich by-product generated in the brewing industry, which is still underrated as a raw material for reprocessing purposes. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the extraction of bitter acids' and xanthohumol from hot trub as well as identify the significance of parameters for the process. The research assessed various extraction parameters, such as pH, ethanol concentration, temperature, and solid-to-liquid ratio, using a Plackett-Burman design. RESULTS: Ethanol concentration and pH were the most significant parameters affecting extraction yield. ß-acids were found to be the principal components of the bitter acids, with a maximum concentration near 16 mg g-1, followed by iso-α-acids and α-acids achieving 6 and 3.6 mg g-1, respectively. The highest yields of bitter acids were observed in the highest ethanol concentration, while pH was relevant to extraction process in treatments with low ethanol ratios. Concerning the xanthohumol extraction, the approach achieved maximum concentration (239 µg g-1) in treatments with ethanol concentration above 30%. Despite their variances, the phytochemicals exhibited comparable extraction patterns, indicating similar interactions with macromolecules. Moreover, the characterization of the solid residues demonstrated that the extraction process did not bring about any alterations to the chemical and total protein profiles. CONCLUSION: Ethanol concentration was found to have the most significant impact on the extraction of bitter acids and xanthohumol, while temperature had no significant effect. The solid remains resulting from the extraction showed potential for use as a protein source. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of Micronized Salt in Reducing the Sodium Content in Fresh Sausages.

This study aimed to investigate the incorporation of micronized salt (MS) to reduce sodium content in fresh sausages while preserving technological, chemical, textural, and sensory characteristics. Four treatments were prepared: control (C) with 2.0% regular salt; M2.0% with 2.0% micronized salt; M1.5% with 1.5% micronized salt; and M1.0% with 1.0% micronized salt, containing 1004, 1133, 860, and 525 mg of sodium/100 g of product, respectively. To characterize the samples, analyses of sodium content, cooking loss, relative myoglobin content, and instrumental color were carried out. The sensory analysis was performed using the Temporal-Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) method. Half of the micronized salt treatment was mixed with the fat during the processing of the fresh sausages. It was possible to achieve a 50% reduction in sodium (M1.0%) in the fresh sausages without negative effects on most technological, chemical, and textural parameters, which did not differ from the control treatment (C). Conversely, "chewiness" decreased in M2.0% compared to the control (C) due to mixing micronized salt with the fat. The sodium reduction did not impact the temporal sensory profile and overall liking. Therefore, using micronized salt in fresh sausages reduces sodium content without affecting sensory traits and product stability.

Encapsulation of wheat germ oil in alginate-gelatinized corn starch beads: Physicochemical properties and tocopherols' stability.

Microencapsulation by production of polymer beads from ionic gelation is a useful method to improve the stability of nutritional compounds. Wheat germ oil is a nutritional source of unsaturated fatty acids and phytonutrients, such as tocopherols (α and ß), phytosterols, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. This work studied the development of alginate-starch beads over the stability of encapsulated wheat germ oil. The beads contained sodium alginate and gelatinized corn starch in proportions of 2:0, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4. The addition of small amounts (1:1) of gelatinized starch in the alginate emulsions improved the physicochemical properties and stability during storage. The emulsions had oil droplets with mean sizes ranging from 4.5 to 12.2 µm. The 1:1 samples showed more disperse oil droplets, explained by the molecular interaction between the starch chains and oil. The encapsulation efficiency was higher than 91%, and the beads' mean diameters were between 383.22 and 797.45 µm. The proportion of 1:1 alginate-starch also enhanced the beads' microstructures, avoiding oil oxidation. Six days accelerated stability (65 °C) evidenced higher tocopherols amounts (0.66 mg/g oil) and a lower oxidation (2.52 meq.O2 /kg oil) for the 1:1 samples compared to the remained samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Alginate-gelatinized corn starch beads loaded with wheat germ oil can be used as an ingredient in functional food products for the enrichment of nutrients. The use of starch decreased the oil oxidation and the loss of tocopherols during storage, indicating that the quality of the wheat germ oil will be desirable for longer durations of food storage.

Alginate and corn starch mixed gels: Effect of gelatinization and amylose content on the properties and in vitro digestibility.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of gelatinized and non-gelatinized corn starches with different amounts of amylose (6.62, 28.46, and 61.10%) in the alginate matrix in relation to mechanical properties and microstructure before and after in vitro digestibility. The use of alginate together with corn starch with different amounts of amylose, in the gelatinized and non-gelatinized form, resulted in gels with different morphological characteristics. All hydrogels produced with gelatinized starches showed a more closed microstructure when compared to those produced with non-gelatinized starches due to the mixed network formed by the alginate matrix and the leached chains during gelatinization. After digestion, the microstructure of these gels became more porous, and the stress at rupture decreased in relation to the initial sample, while the modifications for the sample with non-gelatinized starches were less pronounced due to the susceptibility of gelatinized starch to enzymes. Gels with gelatinized common and high amylopectin starches presented higher amounts of released glucose and a more degraded microstructure after digestion, indicating that it is a suitable system for enteric delivery. Compound release can be controlled depending on the amylose amount and the form of corn starch used in combination with alginate to produce a matrix.