Formulation of functional gummy candies containing natural antioxidants and stevia.

The research aimed to enhance the nutritional value of gummy candies by incorporating pistachio green hull extract (PGHE), stevia, and starch into the formulations. The gummy candies formulations were optimized using PGHE (1-5 %), stevia (0.013-0.040 %) and gelatin-to-starch ratio (9:1, 2:8, and 3:7) by response surface methodology (RSM), central composite design (CCD), with six center points. The physicochemical and textural properties of the gummy candies were assessed. Three optimal formulations were determined, which were preferred by the majority of panelists. One of them was selected for testing total phenolic content (680.31 ± 0.6 mg GAE/100g gummy candy), antioxidant activity (IC50 = 277 µg/mL), FTIR analysis, morphology examination, and storage stability. This study resulted in the development of gummy candies that not only offer a reduced-sugar product (50 %; equal to 12 % of sucrose) with high antioxidant activity but also eliminate the need for artificial flavors and synthetic colorants in the formulation.

Berberis integerrima bioactive molecules loaded in chitosan-based electrospun nanofibers for soybean oil oxidative protection.

Natural bioactive molecules such as phenolic acids and alkaloids play a crucial role in preserving the quality and safety of food products, particularly oils, by preventing oxidation. Berberis integerrima, a rich source of such antioxidants, has been explored in this study for its potential application in soybean oil preservation. Electrospun nanofibers, composed of polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan, were fabricated and loaded with an alcoholic extract of Berberis integerrima. The antioxidant activity of Berberis integerrima was evaluated, and the phenolic compounds contributing to its efficacy were identified and quantified. The physicochemical properties of the polyvinyl alcohol /chitosan/Berberis integerrima nanofibers, including morphology, crystallinity, functional groups, and thermal stability, were characterized. The results revealed that the polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/Berberis integerrima nanofibers exhibited high antioxidant capacity and improved the stability of Berberis integerrima, indicating their potential as effective and biodegradable materials for food preservation. This study underscores the potential of harnessing natural antioxidants from Berberis integerrima in nanofibers to enhance the quality and safety of soybean oil.

Pistachio green hull and pomegranate peel extracts as two natural antiglycation agents.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed in the final step of the nonenzymatic Maillard reaction, which can contribute to various health problems such as diabetes mellitus, renal failure, and chronic inflammation. Bioactive compounds with antiglycation properties have the potential to inhibit AGE-related diseases. This study investigated the antiglycation potential of pistachio green hull (PGH) and pomegranate peel (PP) extracts, which are polyphenol-rich agro-residues, against fluorescent AGE formation and compared the results with pyridoxine (vitamin B6), metformin, and EDTA (as usual chemical antiglycation agents). The results showed that PGH and PP effectively inhibited the formation of AGEs in bovine serum albumin-glucose (BSA-Glu) and BSA-fructose (BSA-Fru) with antiglycation activities ranging from 92% to 97%. PP extract (with an IC50 of 94 mg ml-1) had a greater antiglycation ability than PGH extract (with an IC50 of 142 mg ml-1). Also, results indicated that the antiglycation activities of the extracts were comparable to that of pyridoxine, and higher than metformin and EDTA. These findings suggest that the two studied extracts can be used for sustainable production of high-added-value food products with a positive effect on consumers' health.

Geographical authentication of saffron by chemometrics applied to the ion mobility spectrometry data.

There is a lack of a reliable tool for quickly determining the geographical origins of saffron (SFR). Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has emerged as a promising method for rapid authentication. In this study, 232 Iranian SFR samples harvested in five distinct areas (Khorasan, Azerbaijan, Golestan, Fars, and Isfahan) were analyzed by IMS coupled with chemometric methods. The principal component analysis (PCA) was applied for analyzing the collected IMS data, utilizing three principle components (PCs) that accounted for 81 % of the explained variance. Moreover, the partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) demonstrated the average sensitivity and specificity rates, of 72.3 % to 92.5 % for the exernal test set and 75.5 % to 94.3 % for training set. The accuracy values were ≥ 85.0 % for the prediction set for all classes of samples. The results of this study revealed a successful application of IMS and chemometric methods for rapid geographical authentication of saffron samples in Iran.

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of three DNA extraction methods from soybean, maize, and canola oils and investigation of the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The objective of this study was to develop a DNA-based method for the identification and tracking of edible oils, which is important for health management. Three different DNA extraction methods (CTAB, MBST kit, and manual hexane-based method) were used to obtain high-purity DNA from crude and refined soybean, maize, and canola oils. PCR was then conducted using specific primers to identify the presence of genes related to each oil type and to assess transgenicity. The results showed that DNA was present in crude and refined oils, but in very low amounts. However, using method 3 for DNA extraction provided sufficient quantity and quality of DNA for successful PCR amplification. The study concluded that the main challenge in DNA extraction from oils is the presence of PCR inhibitors, which can be overcome using the manual hexane-based method. Also, the examination of protein presence in the oils using SDS-PAGE did not indicate any protein bands.

Interfacial behavior of gallic acid and its alkyl esters in stripped soybean oil in combination with monoacylglycerol and phospholipid.

The effect of gallic acid alkyl esters and their combination with monoacylglycerol (MAG) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) on the formation of hydroperoxides and hexanal were determined during the oxidation of stripped soybean oil. Interfacial tension, water content, and droplet size were evaluated to monitor the physical properties of the oil system. Adding MAG and DOPC, especially MAG/DOPC, to the oil promoted the partitioning of antioxidants into the water-oil interfaces by further reducing the interfacial tension. The stripped oil containing methyl gallate (MG) accompanied by MAG/DOPC had lower values of the critical micelle concentration of hydroperoxides and larger micellar size at the induction period. This confirms that MG was able to more effectively reduce the free hydroperoxides concentration and inhibit them in an interfacial way. The conjunction of surfactants has been shown as a promising strategy to improve the interfacial and antioxidant activity of gallates in the oxidative stability of soybean oil.

Deodorization of sunflower oil by high voltage electric field as a nonthermal method sunflower oil refining by electric field.

In this study, the high voltage electric field (HVEF) method was used for deodorization of sunflower oil to omit drawbacks of an established industrial method including long time, high energy, chemicals and water consumption, loss of bioactive compounds, and formation of some contaminants due to exposure to heat. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to find the optimal values of processing parameters. The effects of voltage (5-15 kV), clay (0-1%), electrolyte concentration (0-50 mM), the number of electrodes (1-5 pairs), and electrodes distance (1-3 cm) on the volatile compounds and tocopherols content were investigated by HS-SPME-GC/MS and HPLC, respectively. The optimal processing conditions were determined to be a voltage of 5 kV, a distance of 1 cm between the electrodes and a number of five pairs of electrodes. The amount of bleaching clay and electrolyte concentration were zero under optimal conditions. The refining process by HVEF removed 32.33% of the volatile compounds from crude sunflower oil, while the industrial refining process reduced the volatile compounds by only 17.78%. Results indicated no change was observed in the tocopherols content of refined sunflower oil by HVEF method. Based on PCA results, HVEF-treated sample not only contained the lowest concentration of volatile compounds but also was the most similar to crude sample in terms of volatile compounds composition. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The oil refining process consists of four main stages, the last of which is deodorization. This step involves injecting steam at a temperature of about 240°C, under vacuum for about 50 min. High voltage electric field (HVEF) was able to reduce the number of volatile compounds, while no change was made in the tocopherol content of sunflower oil samples. It also does not form contaminant such as 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid esters and glycidyl fatty acid esters. There is no need to apply the vacuum in HVEF refining, which reduces the production cost and makes the process flow straightforward as well as rapid. This research helps to propagate green refining procedures of vegetable oils in food plants.

Improving functionality, bioavailability, nutraceutical and sensory attributes of fortified foods using phenolics-loaded nanocarriers as natural ingredients.

The replacement of artificial by natural additives has gained consumer attention due to concerns about toxic and carcinogenic effects of artificial additives and the growing search for healthy foods. Phenolics are considered as one of the most important natural ingredients in the human diet due to the unique antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. However, the use of phenolics is limited by its poor solubility, undesirable sensorial properties and instability during food processing and storage. To overcome these challenges and to improve the functionality and bioavailability of phenolics, many studies have attempted to encapsulation of phenolics using delivery systems. This review summarizes the recent advances in application of encapsulated phenolics as a natural additive in different food products as well as their effects on functionality and sensory quality. Finally, we have highlighted the key research gaps and future trends in the research domain of application of encapsulated phenolics in foodstuffs. In the literature several studies on physicochemical properties of encapsulated phenolics with different biopolymers and delivery systems were evaluated and based on the results, their applications in various food formulations were suggested for further studies. This review revealed encapsulation techniques especially nanoencapsulation improves the half-stability and functionality of phenolics in fortified food.

Tannin fraction of pistachio green hull extract with pancreatic lipase inhibitory and antioxidant activity.

Polyphenolic compounds (present in different parts of the plant) have beneficial properties such as antioxidant and inhibition of key enzymes. In this research, antioxidant and anti-lipase activity of pistachio green hull (PGH) extract was investigated. Fractionation of PGH on Sephadex LH-20 furnished a tannin enriched fraction with higher antioxidant activity respect to that of the extract and of the non-tannin fraction. UHPL/MS2 analyses showed the presence of phenolic compounds including galloyl-O-hexoside, galloyl-shikimic acid, galloylquinic acid, and gallic acid in tannin fraction. PGH-extract was an un-competitive inhibitor against porcine pancreatic lipase so that its IC50 value was 2.26 mg/ml. In the same phenol amount (490 µg), anti-lipase activity of the tannin fraction was also more than non-tannin fraction and crude PGH-extract. This is probably due to the presence of some active polyphenolic compounds such as gallic acid. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Pistachio is native to the arid regions of Central and West Asia including Iran. The green hull is main by-product of pistachio industry that has numerous phenolic compounds. Our results showed that the pistachio green hull extract has antioxidant and anti-lipase activity and these activities in its tannin fraction were higher than non-tannin fraction. Therefore, the PGH extract and its tannin fraction can be used as potential substitutes of anti-obesity drugs. This allows the use of pistachio processing waste and reduces the amount of waste.

Novel oleogel formulation based on amaranth oil: Physicochemical characterization.

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of oleogel (OG) produced from amaranth oil at four concentrations of 7%, 9%, 10%, and 12% of the monoglyceride (MG). The physicochemical and structural aspects were performed by using pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and gas chromatography. The results show that oleogels (OGs) had higher oxidative stability during storage at ambient temperature in comparison with amaranth oil. Moreover, polarized optical microscopy revealed that an increase in percentage of the oleogelator leads to the formation of needle-shaped crystals followed by oil entrapment. Also, MG improves the solid content of amaranth oil from 0.5% to 11% and creates a solid structure in spite of the low solid fat as compared to cocoa butter (CB) (82%), as control sample. Crystals similar to CB were also observed when evaluating the crystalline structure of the OG. The fatty acid ratio and the essential linoleic fatty acid were preserved in the OG by only 2%-6% reduction.

Efficiency of Tragacanth gum coating enriched with two different essential oils for deceleration of enzymatic browning and senescence of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus).

The effect of Tragacanth gum (T) coating containing (100, 500, and 1,000 mg/L) Satureja khuzistanica essential oil (S), Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (Z), and (1,000 mg/L) sodium metabisulfite (M) on mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) enzymatic browning and postharvest quality was examined throughout 16 days of cold storage. Mushroom respiration rate, soluble solids content (SSC), percentage of open caps, and sensory quality as well as factors related to browning such polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) activities were figured out. The significant decrease in respiration rate, cap opening delay, and SSC enhancement was observed after treating mushrooms with TZ and TS. Moreover, TZ- and TS-treated mushrooms prevented enzymatic browning through inhibiting PPO and POD activities and increasing activity of PAL over the storing term. Additionally, the influence of TZ5 and TS5 (containing 500 mg/L essential oil) coatings was validated by sensory evaluation through protecting the overall quality of button mushrooms over the storage. Thus, Tragacanth coating enriched with essential oils might be an encouraging nomination for improving the modality of button mushroom and expanding its shelf life.

Optimization of the enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction of phenolic compounds from pistachio green hull.

Phenolic compounds form an essential part of the human diet because of their functional properties. In this study, the extraction conditions of phenolic compounds from pistachio green hull were optimized by enzymatic method (using pectinase, cellulase, and tannase enzymes). For this purpose, the effective factors including the solid to solvent ratio, enzyme concentration, particles size, and extraction time were optimized. Also, the effect of enzymatic extraction on the antioxidant activity of the extracts were investigated using three different methods (DPPH˙, ABTS˙+, and FRAP). The profile of phenolic compounds was determined using HPLC/DAD. The results showed that all the studied enzymes were significantly effective in increasing the extraction efficiency. The combination of cellulase, pectinase, and tannase enzymes under their optimal conditions increased the extraction yield up to 112% in comparison with the solvent extraction method. The results of three antioxidant tests showed that the antioxidant properties of the enzymatic extracted compounds increased significantly compared to the control sample (compounds extracted by the solvent method). The DPPH˙ test results indicated that the antioxidant property of the enzymatic extracted compounds was 71% more than the control extract. The different enzymes changed the phenolic compounds' profile so that the pectinase and cellulase enzymes increased the amount of phloroglucinol (more than three times) and decreased the amount of gallic acid (more than 4.5 times) in comparison. In addition, tannase and its combination with other enzymes increased the gallic acid content by 2.6-fold and 4.6-fold compared to the control sample, respectively.

Concentration of pistachio hull extract antioxidants using membrane separation and reduction of membrane fouling during process.

The purpose of this study was to concentrate the polyphenolic compounds in pistachio hull extract as a rich source of natural antioxidants using the membrane process and the reduction of membrane fouling during the process. After the optimization of the membrane performance includes chamber pressure and stirring rate by monitoring flux and membrane fouling, pectinase and tannase enzymes were compared in order to reduce fouling. Pectinase showed a better potential in decreasing membranous fouling. Enzyme concentration was optimized, and treatment with 17.4 (U) was selected. The permeate obtained from optimized membrane condition and enzyme level treatment was enriched in total phenol (120.31 ± 0.35 mgGAE/g) and flavonoid (34.54 ± 0.09 mgCE/g), while the amount of anthocyanin was not remarkable.

The enhancement of pistachio green hull extract functionality via nanoliposomal formulation: studying in soybean oil.

Phenolic compounds of pistachio green hull extract (PGHE) were incorporated into nanoliposomes (NLs). The NLs were prepared with different concentrations of phenolic compounds of PGHE (500, 750 and 1000 ppm) and particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency (EE) were investigated. The antioxidant activity of free and incorporated phenolic compounds of PGHE were evaluated in soybean oil during 39 days of storage by measuring peroxide (PV), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values and color. The total phenolic content and IC50 (DPPH assay) of PGHE were 614.91 ± 0.45 mg gallic acid equivalent/g fresh weight of extract and 10 ± 0.05 µg/ml extract, respectively. The prepared NLs had 101.86-105.81 nm size and PDI = 0.202-0.235. The zeta potential value of NLs varied between -47.7 and -52.3 mV. The highest EE (32.47%) was observed for NLs containing 1000 ppm of phenolic compounds. The lowest PV and TBA values were related to free phenolic compounds at 500 mg/kg oil. In comparison with free phenolic compounds, loaded NLs had lower antioxidant activity, but encapsulation could improve the stability, gradual release and solubility of phenolic compounds in soybean oil. The color of NLs containing oil samples remained constant during the storage, but free phenolic compounds changed the oil`s color. All concentrations of free and incorporated phenolic compounds had also higher antioxidant activity than BHT. Finally, 500 ppm of phenolic compounds of PGHE in its incorporated forms could be recommended as a substitute for synthetic antioxidant in soybean oil.

Effects of concentration method and storage time on some bioactive compounds and color of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba var vulgaris) concentrate.

Jujube extract was concentrated by various heating methods including vacuum, microwave and conventional heating. The effect of concentration methods and storage time (for 90 days at 4 °C) on total phenolic and total monomeric anthocyanin contents, individual anthocyanins, individual organic acids, and color values of jujube concentrate was investigated separately. The desired level of concentration (65.0 °Brix) was achieved in 45, 96 and 117 min by the microwave, vacuum and conventional heating methods, respectively. The concentrate obtained with microwave method had the highest total phenolic content (159.32 mg GAE/g DW) and total monomeric anthocyanin content (48.84 mg cyn-3-glu/100 g DW) in comparison to the other methods at the beginning of storage. Hunter color parameters (L*, a* and b*) decreased significantly with increasing the time of storage in all cases; however, this effect was more obvious in the vacuum heating. Cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside was determined as the major anthocyanin in all concentrates, while its degradation was more pronounced in the conventional heating (25.59%) comparing to the microwave (11.14%) and vacuum methods (17.59%) during the 90-day storage. The jujube concentrate prepared with the microwave method had the highest organic acid contents (e.g. malic, citric, succinic and ascorbic acids) as compared to the other methods. Thus, according to the results, the heating method and storage time had significant effects on the bioactive compounds and color values of jujube concentrate. In general, microwave energy could be successfully used in production of jujube concentrate followed by 90-day storage.

Omega-3 PUFA concentration by a novel PVDF nano-composite membrane filled with nano-porous silica particles.

In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nano-porous silica particle were used to fabricate an asymmetric nano-composite membrane. Silica particles enhanced the thermal stability of PVDF/SiO2 membranes; increasing the decomposition temperature from 371°C to 408°C. Cross sectional morphology showed that silica particles were dispersed in polymer matrix uniformly. However, particle agglomeration was found at higher loading of silica (i.e., 20 by weight%). The separation performance of nano-composite membranes was also evaluated using the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentration at a temperature and pressure of 30°C and 4bar, respectively. Silica particle increased the omega-3PUFA concentration from 34.8 by weight% in neat PVDF to 53.9 by weight% in PVDF with 15 by weight% of silica. Moreover, PVDF/SiO2 nano-composite membranes exhibited enhanced anti-fouling property compared to neat PVDF membrane. Fouling mechanism analysis revealed that complete pore blocking was the predominant mechanism occurring in oil filtration. INDUSTRIAL RELEVANCE: The concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important in the oil industries. While the current methods demand high energy consumptions in concentrating the omega-3, membrane separation technology offers noticeable advantages in producing pure omega-3 PUFA. Moreover, concentrating omega-3 via membrane separation produces products in the triacylglycerol form which possess better oxidative stability. In this work, the detailed mechanisms of fouling which limits the performance of membrane separation were investigated. Incorporating silica particles to polymeric membrane resulted in the formation of mixed matrix membrane with improved anti-fouling behaviour compared to the neat polymeric membrane. Hence, the industrial potential of membrane processing to concentrate omega-3 fatty acids is enhanced.

Nanoliposomal carriers for improvement the bioavailability of high - valued phenolic compounds of pistachio green hull extract.

In present study, nanoliposomes were prepared by thin hydration method with different concentrations of phenolic compounds (500, 750 and 1000ppm) of pure extract and lecithin (1, 2 and 3%w/w) and characterized by considering the particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and morphology. The results showed that nanoliposome (90.39-103.78nm) had negative surface charge varied from -51.5±0.9 to -40.2±0.2mV with a narrow size distribution (PDI≈0.069-0.123). Nanoliposomes composed of 1% lecithin with 1000ppm of phenolic compounds had the highest EE (52.93%). The FTIR analysis indicated the formation of hydrogen bonds between the polar zone of phospholipid and the OH groups of phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds also increased phase transition temperature (Tc) of nanoliposomes (2.01-7.24°C). Moreover, nanoliposomes had considerable stability during storage. Consequently, liposome is an efficient carrier for protection and improving PGHE biofunctional actives in foodstuffs.

Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of α-tocopherol loaded nanoliposome's containing DHA and EPA.

The aim of this study was to prepare α-tocopherol loaded nanoliposomes as carriers of DHA and EPA and to investigate their physicochemical properties, such as peroxide value (PV), volatile compounds (VOCs), particle size, size distribution, zeta potential and morphology of the liposomes. The particle size of liposomes was in the range of 82.4-107.2nm. The highest extent of lipid oxidation was observed at 40°C for 90days, with the lowest PV and propanal levels for a nanoliposome formulation in comparison with the control sample. The zeta potential of the nanoliposomes was decreased during storage. No significant change in the PV and zeta potential of the liposome formulations with α-tocopherol was observed at 4°C after 90days (0.14meq/kg and -43.5mV, respectively). This study demonstrated that incorporation of α-tocopherol into liposomes contributes a significant antioxidant effect on DHA and EPA.

Evaluation of antioxidant activity of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica lindl.) skin and the feasibility of their application to improve the oxidative stability of soybean oil.

The effects of ultrasound-assisted, supercritical CO2 and solvent extraction techniques on antioxidant activity of loqua (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) skin extract in oxidation stability of soybean oil was evaluated. The antioxidant efficacy of extracts was determined using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•)) radical scavenging capacity, ß-carotene/linoleic acid, and Rancimat test system. Results showed that solvent extract of loquat fruit skin at 400 ppm had the highest antioxidant activity compared to ultrasound-assisted and supercritical CO2 extracts. Further, solvent extraction was the most effective method for extraction of phenolic compounds. Protective effects of extracts in stabilization of soybean oil during both frying and storage conditions were tested and compared to tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) by measuring their peroxide value, free fatty acids, conjugated dienes and trienes value. During frying process solvent extract of skin at 400 ppm (SOEA) exhibited stronger antioxidant activity in oil compared to other oil samples, but this antioxidant potential was lower than TBHQ in storage conditions. Present study showed that loquat fruit skin is a good source of natural antioxidant compounds, and has the potential to be used as a substitute for synthetic antioxidants in vegetable oils.

Influence of extraction techniques on antioxidant properties and bioactive compounds of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) skin and pulp extracts.

In this study, the bioactive compounds of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) skin and pulp extracted by two extraction methods (solvent and ultrasound-assisted) with three solvents (ethanol, water and ethanol-water) were compared to supercritical fluid extraction. The antioxidant activities of skin and pulp extracts were evaluated and compared to tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH˙) radical scavenging, ß-carotene bleaching, and the Rancimat assays. In DPPH assay solvent extracts of skin by ethanol (SSE) and ethanol-water (SSEW) showed strong inhibitory activity. The SSEW also showed the highest inhibition percentage of 85.58% by the ß-carotene bleaching assay and longest induction time of 4.78 h by the Rancimat method. The large amount of tocopherols and phenolics contained in the skin extract may cause its strong antioxidant ability. The results indicated that the solvent extraction with ethanol-water produced the maximum extraction yield of phenolic and tocopherol compounds from loquat fruit skin and pulp. Furthermore, solvent extraction was the most effective in antioxidant activity of the extracts compared to other extraction techniques.