An Ecofriendly Nature-Inspired Microcarrier for Enhancing Delivery, Stability, and Biocidal Efficacy of Phage-Based Biopesticides.

In pursuit of sustainable agricultural production, the development of environmentally friendly and effective biopesticides is essential to improve food security and environmental sustainability. Bacteriophages, as emerging biocontrol agents, offer an alternative to conventional antibiotics and synthetic chemical pesticides. The primary challenges in applying phage-based biopesticides in agricultural settings are their inherent fragility and low biocidal efficacy, particularly the susceptibility to sunlight exposure. This study addresses the aforementioned challenges by innovatively encapsulating phages in sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs), which are derived from plant pollen grains. The size of the apertures on SECs could be controlled through a non-thermal and rapid process, combining reinflation and vacuum infusion techniques. This unique feature facilitates the high-efficiency encapsulation and controlled release of phages under various conditions. The proposed SECs could encapsulate over 9 log PFU g-1 of phages and significantly enhance the ultraviolet (UV) resistance of phages, thereby ensuring their enhanced survivability and antimicrobial efficacy. The effectiveness of SECs encapsulated phages (T7@SECs) in preventing and treating bacterial contamination on lettuce leaves is further demonstrated, highlighting the practical applicability of this novel biopesticide in field applications. Overall, this study exploits the potential of SECs in the development of phage-based biopesticides, presenting a promising strategy to enhancing agricultural sustainability.

Lipase-Catalyzed Preparation and Optimization of Structured Phosphatidylcholine Containing Nervonic Acid.

This study investigated the incorporation of nervonic acid into the chemical structure of phosphatidylcholine via a lipase-catalyzed acidolysis reaction to obtain a functional phospholipid. Lipase immobilization was conducted, and Amberlite XAD7-HP was selected as a carrier to immobilize phospholipase A1 (PLA1) for subsequent experiments. The main acidolysis reaction parameters, including enzyme load, substrate ratio, temperature, and water content, were studied against the reaction time. The optimum reaction conditions obtained were enzyme load, 20%; reaction temperature, 55 °C; water content, 1%; and reaction time, 9 h. The maximum incorporation of nervonic acid into phosphatidylcholine was 48 mol%, with PC recovery at 61.6 mol%. The positional distribution of structured phosphatidylcholine shows that nervonic acid was found in the sn-1 position due to enzyme specificity and in the sn-2 position, possibly due to acyl migration.

Free and glycosidically bound aroma compounds in fruit: biosynthesis, transformation, and practical control.

Fruit aroma makes an initial flavor impression and largely determines the consumer preference and acceptance of fruit products. Free volatile organic compounds (FVOCs) directly make up the characteristic aromas of fruits. While glycosidically bound volatile compounds (GBVs) can be hydrolyzed during fruit ripening, postharvest storage, and processing, releasing the attached aglycones as free volatiles that could alter the overall aroma attributes of fruits. GBVs typically exhibit significantly higher concentrations than their free counterparts in fruits such as grapes, cherries, kiwifruits, tomatoes, and tamarillos. This review highlights the biosynthesis of FVOCs and GBVs in fruit and illustrates their biological transformations for various functional purposes such as detoxification, aroma enhancement, plant defense, and pollinator attraction. Practical applications for regulating the levels of aroma compounds emitted or accumulated in fruit are also reviewed, emphasizing the metabolic engineering of free volatile metabolites and hydrolytic technologies on aroma glycosides. Generally, enzymatic hydrolysis using AR2000 is a common strategy to enhance the sensory attributes of fruit juices/wines, while acidic hydrolysis induces the oxidation and rearrangement of aglycones, generating artifacts with off-aromas. This review associates the occurrence of free and glycosidic bound volatiles in fruit and addresses their importance in fruit flavor enhancement and industrial applications.

Advanced strategies to overcome the challenges of bacteriophage-based antimicrobial treatments in food and agricultural systems.

Bacteriophages (phages), highly prevalent in aquatic and terrestrial environments, have emerged as novel antimicrobial agents in food and agricultural systems. Owing to their efficient and unique infection mechanism, phages offer an alternative to antibiotic therapy as they specifically target their host bacteria without causing antibiotic resistance. However, the real-world applications of phages as antimicrobials are still limited due to their low survivability under harsh conditions and reduced antimicrobial efficacy. There is an unmet need to understand the challenges of using phages in food and agricultural systems and potential strategies to enhance their stability and delivery. This review overviews the challenges of using phages, including acidic conditions, improper temperatures, UV-light irradiation, desiccation, and inefficient delivery. It also summarizes novel strategies such as encapsulation, embedding, and immobilization, which enable improved viability and enhanced delivery. The protein capsid and nucleic acid components of phages are delicate and sensitive to physicochemical stresses. Incorporating phages into biocompatible materials can provide a physical barrier for improving phage stability and enhancing phage delivery, resulting in a high antimicrobial efficacy. In conclusion, the development of phage delivery systems can significantly overcome the challenges associated with phage treatments and reduce the risk of foodborne diseases in the industry.

Flavor-food ingredient interactions in fortified or reformulated novel food: Binding behaviors, manipulation strategies, sensory impacts, and future trends in delicious and healthy food design.

With consumers gaining prominent awareness of health and well-being, a diverse range of fortified or reformulated novel food is developed to achieve personalized or tailored nutrition using protein, carbohydrates, or fat as building blocks. Flavor property is a critical factor in the acceptability and marketability of fortified or reformulated food. Major food ingredients are able to interact with flavor compounds, leading to a significant change in flavor release from the food matrix and, ultimately, altering flavor perception. Although many efforts have been made to elucidate how food matrix components change flavor binding capacities, the influences on flavor perception and their implications for the innovation of fortified or reformulated novel food have not been systematically summarized up to now. Thus, this review provides detailed knowledge about the binding behaviors of flavors to major food ingredients, as well as their influences on flavor retention, release, and perception. Practical approaches for manipulating these interactions and the resulting flavor quality are also reviewed, from the scope of their intrinsic and extrinsic influencing factors with technologies available, which is helpful for future food innovation. Evaluation of food-ingredient interactions using real food matrices while considering multisensory flavor perception is also prospected, to well motivate food industries to investigate new strategies for tasteful and healthy food design in response to consumers' unwillingness to compromise on flavor for health.

Tangerine tomatoes: origin, biochemistry, potential health benefits and future prospects.

BACKGROUND: Tomatoes and lycopene have been associated with the prevention of chronic diseases. Tetra-cis lycopene from tangerine tomatoes has been reported to be more bioavailable than the all-trans isomer found in red tomatoes. Therefore, tangerine tomatoes might contain superior health benefits compared to those of red tomatoes. SCOPE AND APPROACH: This review focuses on the origin, biochemistry, nutritional composition, and potential health benefits of tangerine tomatoes, as well as their comparison with those of the red and high-ß-carotene varieties. Information gathered from numerous studies on tomatoes, as well as conflicting perspectives, have been summarized to provide an unbiased review. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION: The origin of tangerine tomatoes is disputable, but they were reportedly present from as early as 1934. The carotenoid biosynthesis pathway underlying the accumulation of tetra-cis lycopene in tangerine tomatoes has been well defined. However, the nutritional composition of tangerine tomatoes is not currently publicly available. The carotenoid composition of tangerine tomatoes is unique not only because of the presence of tetra-cis lycopene, but also due to the relatively high content of phytoene, phytofluene, ζ-carotene, and neurosporene relative to other tomato varieties. Although a few in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results, further studies are required to validate the health benefits of tangerine tomatoes. Furthermore, published data regarding the potential health benefits of tangerine tomatoes on cardiovascular and bone health is currently lacking even though red tomatoes have shown promise in these areas.

Shelf-life and quality of chicken nuggets fortified with encapsulated fish oil and garlic essential oil during refrigerated storage.

Fish oil (FO) is a rich source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFA) which are important for human health. This research investigated the fortification of chicken nuggets with encapsulated FO-Garlic essential oil (GEO) as a possible way for delivery of ω-3 LCPUFA. Five different chicken nugget samples were prepared according to different treatments: Control sample (without fish oil and encapsulated FO-GEO), bulk fish oil samples (0.4% and 0.8%, w/w), and encapsulated FO-GEO samples (4% and 8%, w/w). The quality of the chicken nugget samples were monitored during a 20-day refrigerated storage. Results showed that the addition of encapsulated FO-GEO could significantly delay lipid oxidation and microbiological spoilage of the samples during refrigerated storage. This is reflected by the pH, PV, TBARS and TVBN data (P < 0.05). Samples fortified with encapsulated FO-GEO also showed significantly higher sensory quality and overall acceptability (P < 0.05). The use of 8% encapsulated FO-GEO gave the best antioxidative and antimicrobial properties during storage. However, the best sensory scores were observed in the 4% encapsulated FO-GEO up to 20 days of storage. This study demonstrated that the encapsulated FO-GEO could be used for fortifying and extending shelf-life of food products.

Plasma elemental responses to red meat ingestion in healthy young males and the effect of cooking method.

PURPOSE: Elemental deficiencies are highly prevalent and have a significant impact on health. However, clinical monitoring of plasma elemental responses to foods remains largely unexplored. Data from in vitro studies show that red meat (beef) is a highly bioavailable source of several key elements, but cooking method may influence this bioavailability. We therefore studied the postprandial responses to beef steak, and the effects of two different cooking methods, in healthy young males. METHODS: In a randomized cross-over controlled trial, healthy males (n = 12, 18-25 years) were fed a breakfast of beef steak (270 ± 20 g) in which the meat was either pan-fried (PF) or sous-vide (SV) cooked. Baseline and postprandial blood samples were collected and the plasma concentrations of 15 elements measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: Concentrations of Fe and Zn changed after meal ingestion, with plasma Fe increasing (p < 0.001) and plasma Zn decreasing (p < 0.05) in response to both cooking methods. The only potential treatment effect was seen for Zn, where the postprandial area under the curve was lower in response to the SV meal (2965 ± 357) compared to the PF meal (3190 ± 310; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This multi-element approach demonstrated postprandial responsiveness to a steak meal, and an effect of the cooking method used. This suggests the method would provide insight in future elemental metabolic studies to evaluate responses to meat-based meals, including longer-term interventions in more specifically defined cohorts to clearly establish the role of red meat as an important source of elements.

Compositional Analysis and Aroma Evaluation of Feijoa Essential Oils from New Zealand Grown Cultivars.

Feijoa is an aromatic fruit and the essential oil from feijoa peel could be a valuable by-product in the juicing industry. An initial comparison of the essential oil extraction methods, steam-distillation and hydro-distillation, was conducted. The volatile compounds in the essential oils from four feijoa cultivars were identified and semi-quantified by GC-MS and the aroma active compounds in each essential oil were characterized using SPME-GC-O-MS. Hydro-distillation, with a material to water ratio of 1:4 and an extraction time of 90 min, was the optimized extraction method for feijoa essential oil. The Wiki Tu cultivar produced the highest essential oil yield among the four selected cultivars. A total of 160 compounds were detected, among which 90 compounds were reported for the first time in feijoa essential oils. Terpenes and esters were dominant compounds in feijoa essential oil composition and were also major contributors to feijoa essential oil aroma. Key aroma active compounds in feijoa essential oils were α-terpineol, ethyl benzoate, (Z)-3-hexenyl hexanoate, linalool, (E)-geraniol, 2-undecanone, 3-octanone, α-cubebene, and germacrene D. This is the first report on the optimization of the extraction method and the establishment of the aroma profile of feijoa essential oils, with a comparison of four New Zealand grown cultivars.

The relationship of red meat with cancer: Effects of thermal processing and related physiological mechanisms.

Red meat is consumed globally and plays an important role in the Western diet. Its consumption is however linked with various types of diseases. This review focuses on the relationship of red meat with cancer, its dependency on the thermal processing methodology and the subsequent physiological effects. The epidemiological evidence is discussed, followed by introduction of the species that were hypothesized to contribute to these carcinogenic effects including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), heme iron, and macromolecular oxidation products. Their carcinogenic mechanisms were then addressed with further emphasis on the involvement of inflammation and oxidative stress. The thermal processing dependency of the carcinogen generation and the partially elucidated carcinogenic mechanism both represent doorways of opportunities available for the scientific manipulation of their impact after human consumption, to minimize the cancer risks associated with red meat.

Optimization of polyphenol removal from kiwifruit juice using a macroporous resin.

BACKGROUND: The separation of polyphenols from kiwifruit juice is essential for enhancing sensory properties and prevent the browning reaction in juice during processing and storage. RESULTS: The present study investigated the dynamic adsorption and desorption of polyphenols in kiwifruit juice using AB-8 resin. The model obtained could be successfully applied to predict the experimental results of dynamic adsorption capacity (DAC) and dynamic desorption quantity (DDQ). The results showed that dynamic adsorption of polyphenols could be optimised in a juice concentration of 19 °Brix, with a feed flow-rate of 1.3 mL min-1 and a feed volume of 7 bed volume (BV). The optimum conditions for dynamic desorption of polyphenols from the AB-8 resin were an ethanol concentration of 43% (v/v), an elute flow-rate of 2.2 mL min-1 and an elute volume of 3 BV. The optimized DAC value was 3.16 g of polyphenols kg-1 resin, whereas that for DDQ was 917.5 g kg-1 , with both values being consistent with the predicted values generated by the regression models. The major polyphenols in the dynamic desorption solution consisted of seven compositions. CONCLUSION: The present study could be scaled-up using a continuous column system for industrial application, thus contributing to the improved flavor and color of kiwifruit juice. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Analysis of low molecular weight metabolites in tea using mass spectrometry-based analytical methods.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water and there are numerous reported health benefits as a result of consuming tea, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer. Thus, there is much interest in the chemical composition of teas, for example; defining components responsible for contributing to reported health benefits; defining quality characteristics such as product flavor; and monitoring for pesticide residues to comply with food safety import/export requirements. Covered in this review are some of the latest developments in mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques for measuring and characterizing low molecular weight components of tea, in particular primary and secondary metabolites. The methodology; more specifically the chromatography and detection mechanisms used in both targeted and non-targeted studies, and their main advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Finally, we comment on the latest techniques that are likely to have significant benefit to analysts in the future, not merely in the area of tea research, but in the analytical chemistry of low molecular weight compounds in general.

Integrative approach to assessing bioactivity from hempseed protein isolate extracted and dehydrated by different methods: Synergising in silico prediction and in vitro validation.

This study demonstrated a comprehensive workflow combining in silico screening and prediction with in vitro validation to investigate the bioactivity of hempseed protein isolate (HPI) extracted and dehydrated using different methods. By adopting an in silico approach, 13 major proteins of HPI were hydrolysed by 20 selected enzymes, leading to the prediction of 20 potential bioactivities. With papain hydrolysis, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP4) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities emerged as having the highest potential. In vitro experiments confirmed these predictions, with DPP4 and ACE inhibitory activities displaying IC50 values of 0.32-0.42 mg/mL and 6.8-9.17 µg/mL, respectively. A strong correlation (r2 = 0.96) was observed between in vitro protein inhibitory results and in silico predicted data. This study demonstrated an effective integrative approach for predicting bioactive peptides in food protein, providing valuable guidance on its processing to create value-added products.

Eco-Friendly and Self-Sanitizing Microporous Cellulose Sponge (MCS)-Based Cooling Media for Mitigating Microbial Cross-Contamination in the Food Cold Chain.

Maintaining precise temperature control is vital for cold chain food transport, as temperature fluctuations can cause significant food safety and quality issues. During transport, ice that melts can promote the growth of microbes and their spread, resulting in microbial cross-contamination. This study developed sustainable, non-melting, self-sanitizing "ice cubes" using food grade compositions including microporous cellulose sponges (MCS) and photosensitizers, aimed at enhancing temperature regulation and minimizing microbial contamination in the cold chain. Upon absorbing water, the MCS matched traditional ice in cooling efficiency and heat absorption and exhibit remarkable mechanical and thermal durability, withstanding multiple freeze-thaw cycles and compressive stresses. The cationic MCS combined with erythrosine B demonstrated strong self-sanitizing capabilities, effectively reducing microbial cross-contamination in food models. Additionally, the release rates of photosensitizers from the MCS can be modulated by altering environmental ionic strength. This research offers viable solutions to address microbial cross-contamination challenges in current cold chain systems.

Synergistic antimicrobial interaction of plant essential oils and extracts against foodborne pathogens.

Essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts have demonstrated inhibitory activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the chemical composition of manuka, kanuka, peppermint, thyme, lavender, and feijoa leaf and peel EOs and feijoa peel and leaf extracts were analyzed, and their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria monocytogenes were determined. The results showed that the major compounds varied among different EOs and extracts, with menthol in peppermint EO, thymol and carvacrol in thyme EO, linalool in lavender EO, ß-caryophyllene in feijoa EO, and flavones in feijoa extract being the most prevalent. The study found that while EOs/extracts had antimicrobial activity alone, no individual EO/extract was highly effective against all tested species. Therefore, their combinations were tested to identify those that could broaden the spectrum of activity and act synergistically. The checkerboard method was applied to assess the possible synergism between the paired combinations of EOs/extract. The peppermint/thyme, peppermint/lavender, and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations exhibited a synergistic effect against E. coli and L. monocytogenes, with the peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations being the most effective against all five pathogens. Time-to-kill kinetics assays demonstrated that peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations achieved complete eradication of E. coli within 10-30 min and L. monocytogenes within 4-6 h. This study provides a promising approach to developing a natural alternative for food preservation using synergistic combinations of EOs/extracts, which could potentially reduce the required dosage and broaden their application in food products as natural preservatives.

Physicochemical Properties, Functionalities, and Antioxidant Activity of Protein Extracts from New Zealand Wild Sea Cucumbers (Australostichopus mollis).

This study investigated the physicochemical properties, functionalities, and antioxidant capacities of protein extracts from wild sea cucumber Australostichopus mollis collected from four distinct locations in New Zealand. Protein was extracted from sea cucumber body walls using trypsin enzymatic extraction, followed by cold acetone precipitation. The amino acid analysis revealed high glycine (189.08 mg/g), glutamic acid (119.45 mg/g), and aspartic acid (91.91 mg/g) concentrations in all samples. The essential amino acid indexes of the protein extracts (62.96, average) were higher than the WHO/FAO standard references, indicating the excellent protein quality of A. mollis. Furthermore, protein extracts from A. mollis demonstrated superior emulsifying activity (202.3-349.5 m2/g average) compared to commercial soy and whey protein isolates under all tested pH conditions, and enhanced foaming capacity (109.9-126.4%) and stability (52.7-72%) in neutral and acidic conditions. The extracts also exhibited good solubility, exceeding 70% across pH 3-11. Antioxidant capacities (ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power) were identified in A. mollis protein extracts for the first time, with clear variations observed among different locations. These findings elucidate the advantageous functional properties of protein extracts from wild New Zealand A. mollis and highlight their potential application as high-quality antioxidant food ingredients.

Effects of protein variations by different extraction and dehydration approaches on hempseed protein isolate: Protein pattern, amino acid profiling and label-free proteomics.

This study evaluates the effects of alkaline and micellisation extraction methods, alongside freeze-drying and spray-drying, on the protein subunits, amino acid profiles, and proteome data of hempseed protein isolate (HPI). Findings revealed that the extraction methods affect protein profiles more than the drying methods. Micellisation-extracted HPI showed higher albumin, oleosin, and sulphur-containing protein levels than alkaline-extracted HPI. The alkali-extracted undried sample (AU) gave more potentially allergenic proteins, including Hsp70 and triosephosphate isomerase, than its micellization-extracted counterpart (MU). Unique potential allergens were identified, including malate dehydrogenase and enolase in AU, and RuBisCo in MU samples. Both drying processes impacted the HPI proteome and reduced RuBisCo in the micellisation-extracted HPI. These insights highlight the crucial role of method selection in HPI processing for optimising production in the food industry.

Improved RP-HPLC method for determination of bovine lactoferrin and its proteolytic degradation in simulated gastrointestinal fluids.

The objective of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate bovine lactoferrin (bLf) and its stability using a rapid RP-HPLC method. bLf could be rapidly detected within 20 min and quantitated at levels down to 5 µg/mL, and the equation of linearity was y = 86.10x + 178.31 with the correlation coefficient (r(2)) 0.9997. Quantitative data obtained in the present study proved the improved RP-HPLC method to be a sensitive and accurate analytical tool for bLf determination. The proteolytic cleavage of bLf in simulated human gastrointestinal fluids was further analyzed by RP-HPLC, and found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. The typical equation obtained by pepsin was log(10) [A(t)]/[A(0)] = -0.03x (r(2) = 0.85), and log(10) [A(t)]/[A(0)] = -0.01x (r(2) = 0.81) for trypsin and chymotrypsin combination. Pepsinolysis of bLf in simulated gastric fluid was relatively fast with the half-life t(1/2) 23.1 min. The digestion of bLf in simulated intestinal fluid was slower with about a 3-fold increase in half-life (69.3 min). After the complete proteolysis of bLf, small cleaved peptide fragments were fully separated and identified by RP-HPLC. The proteolytic study indicated that this validated RP-HPLC was able to evaluate bLf stability though monitoring the derivatization products.

Preparation, characterization and in vitro digestion of octenyl succinic anhydride-modified porous starch with different degrees of substitution.

Octenyl succinic anhydride modified porous starch (OSA-PS) with degrees of substitution (DS) from 0.0123 to 0.0427 were prepared by aqueous phase method. From SEM, PS had a porous structure which showed a rough and corrosive surface after esterification with OSA. FT-IR revealed the characteristic peaks of OSA-PS at 1725 cm-1 and 1570 cm-1. From 1H NMR spectra, OSA-PS displayed extra chemical signal peaks at 0.85 ppm, 1.25 ppm and 1.96 ppm. These results fully demonstrated that OSA groups were successfully grafted onto PS. Furthermore, as DS increased, the specific surface area (5.6464 m2/g), pore volume (0.9959 × 10-2 cm3/g) and methylene blue adsorption capacity (24.3962 mg/g) of OSA-PS reached the maximum, while its relative crystallinity (26.8112 %) and maximum thermal decomposition temperature (291.96 °C) were the minimum. In vitro digestion studies showed that with the increase of DS, OSA-PS' contents of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch decreased from 9.06 % to 6.27 % and 28.38 % to 14.61 %, respectively. In contrast, its resistant starch had an increase in content from 62.56 % to 79.12%. The results provided an effective method for obtaining a double-modified starch with high specific surface area and anti-digestibility, thus broadening the industrial application of starch.

Potential Benefits of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (N3PUFAs) on Cardiovascular Health Associated with COVID-19: An Update for 2023.

The accumulating literature demonstrates that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, N3PUFA) can be incorporated into the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes in the human body to positively affect the cardiovascular system, including improving epithelial function, decreasing coagulopathy, and attenuating uncontrolled inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. Moreover, it has been proven that the N3PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are precursors of some potent endogenous bioactive lipid mediators that mediate some favorable effects attributed to their parent substances. A dose-response relationship between increased EPA and DHA intake and reduced thrombotic outcomes has been reported. The excellent safety profile of dietary N3PUFAs makes them a prospective adjuvant treatment for people exposed to a higher risk of cardiovascular problems associated with COVID-19. This review presented the potential mechanisms that might contribute to the beneficial effects of N3PUFA and the optimal form and dose applied.