Structural and sensory impact of various emulsifiers in cocoa hazelnut spread formulations.

In this study, the effects of emulsifiers such as lecithin, AMPs, Palsgaard® Oil-Binder and GMS on cocoa hazelnut spread rheology were compared under the same process conditions and formulation. Emulsifiers were added to the formulation separately at rates of 0.3%-0.4%-0.5%. Hardness values in cocoa hazelnut spread were examined at 15-day intervals until the 60th day. In addition, viscosity, rheological analyses, color, spreadability, stability tests, and sensory analyses were performed. In the production of cocoa hazelnut spread, lecithin and AMP have less hardness and lower viscosity, greater fluent consistency, better spreadability, and lower "work of shear" values compared with other emulsifiers. The emulsifier type/ratio difference did not affect the color value statistically. It was determined that the use of Oil-Binder and GMS significantly protected the stability compared with other emulsifiers. During the 60-day storage period, lecithin preserved its hardness properties better than other emulsifiers. When sensory properties were examined, the use of lecithin and AMP in cocoa hazelnut spread samples scored high in brightness, spreadability, mouthfeel, and taste parameters. As a result, lecithin comes to the fore in the use of different types and ratios of emulsifiers in cocoa hazelnut spread production technology.

Optimization of citrus fiber-enriched vegan cream cheese alternative and its influence on chemical, physical, and sensory properties.

Dairy product alternatives have increased in recent years as a result of medical prescriptions or personal preferences. The main purpose of the present study was to optimize vegan-based cream cheese formulation added with citrus fiber considering the textural and physicochemical properties of the samples. The physicochemical (pH value, water activity, and color), texture, microstructure, and sensory properties of manufactured vegan-based cream cheese were characterized and compared to those of a commercial one. Three optimized products were produced, according to the textural properties. The addition of citrus fiber did not affect the pH and water activity values of the cheese samples significantly. Although citrus fiber had an effect on the color values of the samples, a significant difference in the sensory scores was not recorded by the panelists. The sample having 1.21% citrus fiber (A) showed a hardness value similar to that of control sample and it received high sensory appreciation. The sample added with 1.41% citrus fiber (B) was scored high by the panelists, with no significant difference compared to commercial cream cheese, even though it showed high hardness. According to the results of the current research, vegan-based cream cheese can be produced as a promising food as a new alternative to milk and dairy products.

Textural, rheological, and structural properties of turkey and chicken gelatins from mechanical deboning residues.

Large amounts of collagen-rich by-products are generated in poultry processing. In particular, gelatin from the by-products of turkey processing is limited. Gelatin extraction from turkey and chicken MDRs (mechanically deboning residue) was the purpose of this study. Both materials were modified at the highest swelling pH for chemical denaturation of collagen and hot water extraction of gelatin was performed at the optimum temperature-time, which was determined to be pH 1.0 and 80°C-6 h, respectively. In these conditions, yields of 9.90% turkey gelatin (TG) and 13.85% chicken gelatin (CG) were produced. They demonstrated similar viscosity, gel strength, and lightness values of 72-73 g, 2.5-2.7 mPas, and 31, respectively. These results are close to those of bovine gelatin (BG). TG with 239.78 g Bloom exhibited higher strength than CG (225.27 g) and BG (220.00 g). The melting and gelation temperatures of CG and BG were 21 and 30°C, respectively, while those of TG were 19 and 28°C. Imino acids (proline + hydroxyproline) of TG (22.82%) were higher than those of CG (20.73%). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed secondary structure and functional groups of CG and TG similar to those of BG. CG displayed a higher thermal transition temperature than BG, while TG exhibited the highest temperature sensitivity, according to the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. In conclusion, TG showed higher potential for effective utilization with higher bloom and imino acids. Overall, turkey and chicken MDRs are a promising and potential alternative source to produce gelatin with comparable properties to bovine gelatin for intended food applications as well as for pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields.

Improving physicochemical and nutritional attributes of rice starch through green modification techniques.

Rice, has long been an inseparable part of the human diet all over the world. As one of the most rapidly growing crops, rice has played a key role in securing the food chain of low-income food-deficit countries. Starch is the main component in rice granules which other than its nutritional essence, plays a key role in defining the physicochemical attributes of rice-based products. However, rice starch suffers from weak techno-functional characteristics (e.g., retrogradability of pastes, opacity of gels, and low shear/temperature resistibility. Green modification techniques (i.e. Non-thermal methods, Novel thermal (e.g., microwave, and ohmic heating) and enzymatic approaches) were shown to be potent tools in modifying rice starch characteristics without the exertion of unfavorable chemical reagents. This study corroborated the potential of green techniques for rice starch modification and provided deep insight for their further application instead of unsafe chemical methods.

Scanning electron microscopic investigation on Chicory tribe (Compositae) botanical sources and their antimicrobial potential.

This study discusses the micro-level structural details of Cichorieae pollen sources elucidated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and explains their symmetry and morphometry. The in-depth knowledge from the electron ultrastructure of Asteraceae pollen has provided insights into enhanced pollen morphology, and the antimicrobial significance of species under study presents novel avenues for their natural defense mechanisms in the development of antimicrobial agents. In this research, both quantitative and qualitative features of pollen were examined. The pollen grains are prolate-spheroidal and oblate-spheroidal in shape, characterized by a maximum polar diameter of 55.6-61.0 µm and a maximum equatorial distance of 68.3-74.4 µm. SEM reveals various configurations such as echinate perforate-tectate, psilate, and echino-lophate perforate. The Cichorieae species have significant antimicrobial efficacy and are promising sources for the development of novel antimicrobial drugs with potential implications in pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. SEM analysis of Cichorieae pollens has provided remarkable insights into their unique structures, revealing diverse shapes and surface ornamentations, which can be used for accurate Asteraceae species identification. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: SEM provides unique pollen surface structures and patterns of Chicory pollen grains. Chemical composition of Chicory botanical sources provides valuable information on their potential as antimicrobial agents. SEM imaging reveals specialized fenestrate grain structures of taxonomic importance.

Assessment of the botanical origin of Saudi Arabian honey samples to identify pollen with chromatographic tools and packing and storage.

The increasing demand for honey purification and authentication necessitates the global utilization of advanced processing tools. Common honey processing techniques, such as chromatography, are commonly used to assess the quality and quantity of valuable honey. In this study, 15 honey samples were authenticated using HPLC and GC-MS chromatographic methods to analyze their pollen spectrum. Various monofloral honey samples were collected, including Acacia, Hypoestes, Lavandula, Tamarix, Trifolium, and Ziziphus species, based on accurate identification by apiarists in 2023 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Honey analysis revealed the extraction of pollen from 20 different honeybee floral species. Pollen identified from honey samples using advanced chromatographic tools revealed dominant vegetation resources: Ziziphus species (23%), Acacia species (25%), Tamarix species (34%), Lavandula species (26%), Hypoestes species (34%), and Trifolium species (31%). This study uses HPLC to extract phenolic compounds, revealing dominant protocatechuic acid (4.71 mg g-1), and GC-MS to analyze organic compounds in honey pollen. Specifically, 2-dodecanone was detected with a retention time of 7.34 min. The utilization of chromatographic tools in assessing honey samples for pollen identification provides a reliable and efficient method for determining their botanical origins, thereby contributing to the quality control and authentication of honey products.

Evaluation of rheological, textural, and sensory characteristics of optimized vegan rice puddings prepared by various plant-based milks.

Nowadays, plant-based milks are being considered as an alternative to dairy milk due to their advantages, such as sustainability, reduced allergenicity, health benefits, and lactose-free nature. Plant-based milks are widely used in the preparation of desserts, cheese-like products, and beverages, among other applications. The aim of the present study was to formulate vegan rice puddings using various commercially available plant-based milks as a sustainable alternative to dairy milk. For this aim, central composition design was applied to optimize the key processing parameters of the Thermomix®, including temperature (80-90°C), time (6-14 min), and the amount of rice flour (6-10%, w/v), using response surface methodology (RSM). According to the RSM results, the optimum conditions were found to be 90°C for 12.5 min with 6.5% rice flour, as they exhibited minimal phase separation and similar rheological and textural properties to dairy rice pudding. Soya milk pudding had the highest hardness value among the other plant-based milk puddings, and whole fat milk, soya, oat, coconut, and cow's milks showed the best gel unity, according to the cohesiveness results. Phase separation, an important parameter for storage stability, was not observed during 7-day storage at 4°C in all groups, except for pistachio milk rice pudding. Rheological results demonstrated that all vegan pudding samples exhibited a gel-like structure with storage modulus (G') exceeding loss modulus (G″) values. According to the descriptive sensory evaluation, coconut, oat, and soya milk rice puddings received the highest scores in overall acceptability. Our findings suggest that industrial plant-based rice puddings have great potential as a novel product that meets the dietary needs of the vegan community by offering acceptable flavor and texture.

Fruit-based vegan ice cream-type frozen dessert with aquafaba: effect of fruit types on quality parameters.

"Aquafaba", defined as legume cooking water, has a feature that can be used in various formulations as an egg and milk alternative in vegan products and improves functional properties such as foaming, emulsifying and gelling. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the usability of aquafaba in ice cream type frozen desserts containing different fruit purees (strawberry, nectarine and banana) by using its foaming capacity. Rheological properties, microstructure, overrun, melting characteristics, color measurement, dry matter, and sensory properties were investigated in different fruit-based frozen dessert samples. The brix value, density, protein content, foaming capacity (FC) and foaming stability (FS), flow behavior index, consistency coefficient, and overrun of aquafaba were determined as 7.1 ± 0°Bx, 1.022 ± 0.011 g/ml, 1.51 ± 0.41%, 85 ± 0% FC and 81 ± 0.23% FS, between 0.28 and 0.64, between 8.68 and 41.30 Pa·sn, between 116.75 and 395.93%, respectively. The dry matter content of the strawberry, nectarine, and banana-based dessert samples ranged between 17 and 48%, 20-49%, 25-50%, and the first dropping times were determined between 348 and 1538 s, 369-1689 s and 435-1985 s, respectively. As a result, cooking liquid leftover aquafaba can be used as a suitable raw material in the production of an alternative ice cream type frozen dessert for individuals with milk allergy, lactose intolerance or who prefer a vegan diet. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05885-y.

Influence of process conditions of alkalization on quality of cocoa powder.

In this study, the effects of independent variables such as alkaline (NaOH) salt concentration (3.0-6.0 g/100 mL), alkalization temperature (60-90 °C), and time (20-40 min) on cocoa powder (low-fat) properties were investigated by using Central Composite Design. The physicochemical and color properties of samples, powder characteristics, volatile component profile, total polyphenol content (TPC), as well as antioxidant activity potentials using different methods (DPPH and ABTS) were determined. Significant models were identified for the effects on major alkalization indicators (L*, a*/b*, pH), as well as TPC and antioxidant activity potential (DPPH), which are the main motivators for the preference and consumption of cocoa products (p < 0.05). The established model was validated, and their predicted values were found to be very close to real results. It was determined that the alkali concentration had a more significant effect on dependent variables, especially on alkalization indicators, compared to the other independent variables. Furthermore, strong correlations were determined between TPC and antioxidant activity potential and color properties (L*, a*, b*, and a*/b*). Optimum concentration, temperature and time were found to be 5.3 %, 84 °C and 35.7 min for maximizing a*/b* value. The establishment of such models lead to optimizing process conditions of alkalization with minimum effort and labor force for obtaining cocoa powder with desired quality depending on the usage purpose.

Determination of the process effect on cocoa butter crystallization by rheometer: Kinetic modeling by Gompertz equation.

In this study, the effects of temperature (22, 24, 26, 28, and 30°C) and strain (0.1%, 1%, and 5%) on cocoa butter (CB) crystallization were investigated by oscillatory test, and the four-parameter Gompertz model was used to interpret the effect of parameters on pre-crystallization, nucleation, and crystal growth stages of CB. Lag time and growth rate were calculated using the Gompertz model using time-dependent storage modulus (G') data. According to the results, CB crystallization at 26°C with a 1% strain value had the highest growth rate value, the shortest lag time, and the formation of ßv polymorph type. Followingly, polymorphic types of the CB crystals were determined based on the melting points of polymorphs via the temperature ramp step, and the results obtained were correlated with a polarized light microscope. In conclusion, using a rheometer in both the observation of the pre-crystallization process and the determination of polymorph types is very important for research and development studies in the chocolate industry for process and formulation optimization. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of a novel approach for investigating crystallization and oscillatory shear of CB using a rheometer, both for observing crystallization kinetics and determining polymorph type, accompanied by the Gompertz equation to model the crystallization kinetics. According to the results, the effect of process parameters (temperature and shear) on the crystallization behavior of CB can be observed by rheometer, which can provide a detailed perspective for chocolate manufacturers and researchers in research and development studies.

Cocoa polyphenols and milk proteins: covalent and non-covalent interactions, chocolate process and effects on potential polyphenol bioaccesibility.

In this study, we discussed covalent and non-covalent reactions between cocoa polyphenols and proteins (milk and cocoa) and the possible effects of these reactions on their bioaccessibility, considering environmental and processing conditions. Better insight into these interactions is crucial for understanding the biological effects of polyphenols, developing nutritional strategies, and improving food processing and storage. Protein-polyphenol reactions affect the properties of the final product and can lead to the formation of various precursors at various stages in the manufacturing process, such as fermentation, roasting, alkalization, and conching. Due to the complex composition of the chocolate and the various technological processes, comprehensive food profiling strategies should be applied to analyze protein-polyphenol covalent reactions covering a wide range of potential reaction products. This will help to identify potential effects on the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds such as low-molecular-weight peptides and polyphenols. To achieve this, databases of potential reaction products and their binding sites can be generated, and the effects of various process conditions on related parameters can be investigated. This would then allow to a deeper insight into mechanisms behind protein-polyphenol interactions in chocolate, and develop strategies to optimize chocolate production for improved nutritional and sensory properties.

Gelatin production from turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) skin as a new source: from waste to a sustainable food gelling agent.

BACKGROUND: Turkey skin, a byproduct of poultry processing, contains a significant amount of collagen that might be used to make non-mammal gelatin. However, gelatin production from turkey skin has not yet been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the optimum gelatin extraction conditions from turkey employing the central composite design and response surface methodologies. The independent factors such as temperature (50, 60, and 70 °C) and time (5, 7, and 9 h) were optimized for three response variables: yield, gel strength, and foam expansion (FE). RESULTS: With R2 values of 0.8576 for yield, 0.8386 for gel strength, and 0.9283 for foam expansion, linear, quadratic, and respective models were used. The yield, gel strength, and FE actual values were found to be 15.36%, 396.61 g, and 40%, respectively. The optimum extraction conditions were found to be 62.90 °C for 6.84 h. The foam stability, L, and b values were significantly impacted by temperature and extraction time (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The gel strength value of the gelatin extracted under optimal conditions was higher than that of commercial bovine. The findings of the present study showed that turkey skin is a suitable raw material for the manufacturing of gelatin. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A new trend among plant-based food ingredients in food processing technology: Aquafaba.

In the new century, the most fundamental problem on a global scale is hunger and poverty reduction is one of the primary goals set by the United Nations. Currently, it is necessary to increase agricultural activities and to evaluate all agricultural products rich in nutrients without loss in order to feed the hungry population in the world. Considering that one of the most important causes of hunger in the world is inadequate access to protein content, legumes are one of the most valuable nutritional resources. In order to ensure the sustainability of legumes, alternative new ways of recycling their wastes are sought based on these multiple functions. For this purpose, recycling legume cooking waters to be used as food raw materials in various processes means reducing food waste. Recovery of nutritional components in legumes is also beneficial in vegan and vegetarian diets. In this review study, the importance of legumes in terms of global needs, their importance in terms of nutrition, the methods of obtaining the protein content of legumes, the functional properties of these proteins in the field of food processing, the gains of the evaluation and recovery of legume cooking water (Aquafaba), especially waste, were discussed.

Chocolate flow behavior: Composition and process effects.

Chocolate is a non-Newtonian substance, and such substance has different viscosities at different shear rates. Rheological evaluations have become indispensable instruments for characterizing final chocolate, forecasting product efficiency and consumer acceptance. During production, the different steps depend on a well-defined viscosity and yield stress. Furthermore, the characteristics of the final chocolate (the surface and mouth-feel) are directly related to the chocolate's viscous behavior. There is a demand for better understanding the variables affecting chocolates flow behavior. Current research realized great insight into the chocolate flow behavior in different processes such as refining, conching, and tempering. Also, the influence of formulation and particle characteristics on flow behavior of the intermediate product and the final product were discussed. Each stage of the production process: mixing, refining, conching and tempering involves modifications of macroscopic characteristics of the chocolate ingredients thus affecting the rheological attributes of the final product. Particle size distribution and ingredient composition play substantial roles in shaping its flow behavior and sensory perception. The rheological properties of chocolate provide substantial information for food scientists to improve and optimize their products and manufacturing processes. Nowadays, a thorough understanding of chocolate flow behavior is a necessity for food scientists and industry.

Production of tomato powder from tomato puree with foam-mat drying using green pea aquafaba: drying parameters and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to valorize green pea cooking water (aquafaba) as a foaming agent in foam-mat drying of tomato. For this aim, density of foam-mats (green pea aquafaba+tomato puree) changed between 1.06 and 0.45 g/mL depending on the aquafaba concentration. Foam-mats with 5 mm thickness were dried at 50, 60 and 70°C at 1.3 m/s air velocity. RESULTS: The results showed that the porous structure of foams with lower densities resulted in higher drying rates and moisture diffusivities. Redness (a* ) value decreased with increasing aquafaba content (p < 0.05). Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (CUPRAC, DPPH and FRAP) of the resulting tomato powders were also determined. Moreover, bioaccessibility of phenolics and antioxidant activities were also determined using in vitro digestion. CONCLUSIONS: All of the bioactive parameters are positively affected by foam-mat drying process. Using aquafaba as a foaming agent accelerated the drying period and improved bioactive characteristics of the powders. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

A study on the structural, physicochemical, rheological and thermal properties of high hydrostatic pressurized pearl millet starch.

Starch in native form has limited application due to functional and physicochemical characteristics. To overcome these limitations, starch can be modified by non-thermal technologies such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). This study investigates high-pressure-induced gelatinization and the effect of this process on the structural, functional, morphological, pasting, thermal, physical and rheological properties of millet starch. The suspension of millet starch and water was pressurized at 200, 400 and 600 MPa for 10, 20 and 30 min to modify the starch in terms of structure, morphology, some physicochemical and rheological properties. Swelling strength and starch solubility decreased as a result of treatment with HHP. All treatments caused to increase in water holding capacity of the starch (from 0.66 % for native starch to 2.19 % for 600 MPa-30 min). Thermal analysis showed a decrease in gelatinization temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization and the pasting properties showed a decrease in the peak viscosity after HHP treatment. In addition, HHP treatment caused to increase in the hydration ability of starch by creating porosity and gaps in the granule surface and increasing the specific surface area. HHP application resulted in an increase in the peak time and pasting temperature and a decrease in breakdown and peak viscosities, final viscosity and setback viscosity in comparison with native starch of millet. The starch sample treated with 600 MPa for 30 min had the lowest syneresis and retrogradation ability. Increasing pressure and the time led to an increase in the elastic nature of the starch samples. According to the results, it is possible to increase usage area of starches in the food industry by improving its technological with HHP. This green physical technology can influence the quality parameters of starch, which can provide benefits for product machining and economic purposes.

Formulating and studying compound chocolate with adding dried grape pomace as a bulking agent.

The use of dried grape pomace (DGP) as a bulking agent for partly substitution of sugar, milk powder and whey powder in compound chocolate (CC) was investigated. D-optimal mixture design was used to determine the effect of composition on the particle size, flow behaviour (Casson yield value and plastic viscosity), as well as total phenolic and resveratrol contents before and after in vitro digestion. The various models (linear, quadratic and cubic) which were identified as significant (P < 0.05) were used in this study. As a result, DGP was found suitable to be used in CC as a bulking agent to partially substitute sucrose, milk powder and whey powder to increase functional properties and decrease the cost of the CC. For CC with the most acceptable rheological properties and a satisfactory level of TPC and resveratrol, optimum usage levels of DGP were identified as 7.1% to 10.0%. Further studies will require to modify flow behaviours by optimizing the particle size of pomace.

Development of a novel rheological method for determining melting properties of gelatin-based gummies.

In this study, a novel rheometer-based method was explored to determine the melting point of gummy, which is one of the most consumed confectionery products. The new method is based on the vertical deformation of a solid sample since melting points of the products were determined by performing onset analysis on the graph of gap values against temperature. Peltier system heating rate and sample thickness parameters were used to develop the method. To verify the obtained melting points, time sweep tests in the rheometer at constant temperature, conventional oven and water bath analysis, thermograms of the samples obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and their microstructures at various temperatures with polarized light microscopy (PLM) were examined. Herein, it can be realized that the developed method detects the melting point of a gummy with a sensitivity of 1 °C when temperature increase rate and thickness values were 1 °C/min and 4000 µm, respectively. As a result of the application of the novel method for the commercial samples, the melting points of C1 and C2 gummy samples were determined as 45 °C and verified by other experiments with one unit of precision. Therefore, the method has brought a different perspective to the melting temperature analysis with ease of use and short-term detection by sensitive and reproducible results. Besides, it has come to the forefront as it allows the studied materials to be used in solid form in the rheometer.

Gummy candies production with natural sugar source: Effect of molasses types and gelatin ratios.

Nowadays, attention has been dedicated towards the development of foodstuffs whose constituents are from natural sources. In this study, grape, mulberry, and carob molasses containing natural sugars were evaluated in order to replace the use of sugar syrup and artificial additives in the production of gummy candy which was prepared by varied gelatin ratios. The molasses which have similar °Brix values (78-79) presented different types and amounts of sugar components. High invert sugar with low sucrose was observed in grape and mulberry but high sucrose with low fructose and glucose appeared in carob molasses. Unlike grape and mulberry, carob based jellies had a whitish appearance possibly as a result of the crystallization due to its high sucrose/invert sugar ratio. For all parameters of TPA, carob candy with 5 g/100 g gelatin and grape candy with 10 g/100g gelatin had the lowest and highest values, respectively. Gelatin concentration dependency trend of hardness, gumminess, chewiness and resilience was determined as grape > mulberry > carob. No significant effect (p > 0.05) on gelling temperatures (21-29 °C) but significant effect (p < 0.05) on melting points (33-39 °C) of molasses types were observed for candies. The properties of grape based candy having higher thermal stability and lower temperature sensitivity were attributed to its higher total sugar contents than other samples. The sensorial acceptability score for molasses gummy candies obtained more than 3.0 on a 5-point hedonic scale. These results illustrate the potential for the use of molasses in a healthier confectionery product development instead of commonly used sugars.

Carob powder as cocoa substitute in milk and dark compound chocolate formulation.

In the current research, the possibility of using carob powder as a substitute for cocoa powder in milk and dark compound chocolates was investigated. Five chocolate samples containing carob powder (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) along with control were produced and the physico-chemical analyzes were measured. Chocolate samples were assessed for sensory acceptance by a hedonic scale. The outcomes indicated that chocolate formulations with lower content of carob powder presented higher quality in terms of color parameters, mean particle size and hardness (values close to control). The addition of carob powder resulted in decreased yield stress in dark chocolates. Also dark chocolate formulations containing high levels of carob powder recorded Casson viscosity values similar to control. Moreover, the milk chocolates containing 40% carob powder illustrated no significant differences in sensory properties with control. However acceptance of the dark chocolate samples was similar to control in all attributes. The results proved that it is possible to utilize carob powder to replace cocoa powder in chocolate production in order to improve nutritional values (higher fiber and fewer calories) with agreeable sensory attributes.