Technologically Driven Approaches for the Integrative Use of Wild Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) Fruits in Foods and Nutraceuticals.

Different technological approaches were used in this study for the valorization of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) fruits in marmalade, jam, jelly, and nutraceuticals. Marmalade showed the highest concentrations of polyphenols (7.61 ± 0.05 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight (DW)) and flavonoids (4.93 ± 0.22 mg catechin equivalents/g DW), whereas jam retained the highest content of anthocyanins (66.87 ± 1.18 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalents/g DW). A good correlation between polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity was found, the highest value being 21.29 ± 1.36 mmol Trolox/g DW for marmalade. Alternatively, the fresh pulp was enriched with inulin, followed by inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, and freeze-dried, allowing a powder to be obtained with a viable cell content of 6.27 × 107 CFU/g DW. A chromatographic analysis of blackthorn skin revealed that myricetin (2.04 ± 0.04 mg/g DW) was the main flavonoid, followed by (+)-catechin (1.80 ± 0.08 mg/g DW), (-)-epicatechin (0.96 ± 0.02 mg/g DW), and vanillic acid (0.94 ± 0.09 mg/g DW). The representative anthocyanins were cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, and peonidin 3-O-glucoside, with an average concentration of 0.75 mg/g DW. The skin extract showed comparable IC50 values for tyrosinase (1.72 ± 0.12 mg/mL), α-amylase (1.17 ± 0.13 mg/mL), and α-glucosidase (1.25 ± 0.26 mg/mL). The possible use of kernels as calorific agents was demonstrated through the evaluation of calorific power of 4.9 kWh/kg.

Customized Technological Designs to Improve the Traditional Use of Rosa canina Fruits in Foods and Ingredients.

The rosehip fruits from Romanian spontaneous flora were valorized in three different customized variants, including jellified products, juices, and a nutraceutical. Prior to the technological design, the rosehip samples were characterized for individual polyphenolic content. The samples (non)-enzymatically treated showed epicatechin as the major compound, whereas the enzymatic treatment enhanced the extraction of quercetin (40.23 ± 0.48 mg/100 g DW extract), gallic acid (9.74 ± 0.24 mg/100 g DW extract), and kaempferol. Different ratios and types of sugars were added to obtain jellified products, leading to a significantly different bioactive profile. The sugar-free and steviol samples showed the highest content in carotenoids (89.36 ± 0.06 mg/g dry weight (DW) and 39.22 ± 1.16 mg/g DW, respectively), leading to the highest antioxidant activity (8.19 ± 0.80 mMol Trolox/g DW and 20.16 ± 0.31 mMol Trolox/g DW, respectively). The gelling capacity increased with the increase in sugar content. The enzymatically treated rosehip fruit pulp was mixed in various ratios with apple juice, followed by pasteurization. The polyphenolic content was approximately two times higher in the blended juices (20.75 ± 1.40 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 mL). The overall impression highlighted the preferences of panelists for sugar-free products, whereas adding apple juice significantly influenced their preferences. The fresh pulp was enhanced with pectin, followed by inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, and freeze-dried showed satisfactory cell viability (approximately 7 log CFU/g DW), whereas an antidiabetic, anti-tyrosinase and anti-obesity potential of the powder was suggested. Our results provide enough evidence for customized processing of rosehip fruits in foods and nutraceuticals as a response to consumers' choices, highlighting the bioactive compounds and nutrient contents, whereas selected in vitro health-related evidence was suggested.

Effects of Heat Treatments on Various Characteristics of Ready-to-Eat Zucchini Purees Enriched with Anise or Fennel.

Galactagogue herbs, also known as natural lactation adjuvants, are frequently used to stimulate breast milk production. Due to their antioxidant activity and phenolic content, anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) were chosen to increase the added value of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) purees. At the same time, this work aimed to determine the influence of heat treatment on various characteristics of the final product. The phytochemical content, color parameters, and rheological and textural parameters of zucchini purees enriched with herbal aqueous extracts were determined after processing and after one week of storage (4 °C). In the case of antioxidant activity, samples registered a variation between 6.62 ± 1.71 and 38.32 ± 3.85 µM Trolox/g DW for the samples processed by steam convection. The total difference color parameter (ΔE) increased seven times after one week of storage compared to samples at T0. Fennel and anise aqueous extracts helped improve the rheological behavior of zucchini samples both by steam and hot air convection. This study may serve as a springboard for future investigations and clinical trials into the scientific validity and safety of ready-to-eat foods with special destinations.

Value-added salad dressing enriched with red onion skin anthocyanins entrapped in different biopolymers.

In this study, red onion skin extract was used to obtain food ingredients. Complex biopolymeric matrices were dissolved in the anthocyanin-rich aqueous extract, followed by gelation and freeze-drying. Powders were characterized regarding encapsulation efficiency (EE), phytochemical content, color, antioxidant activity, and microstructure. Storage and simulated digestion stability were also assessed. Two powders with high contents of bioactives and antioxidant activity were obtained. The highest EE was acquired for the powder with a higher polysaccharides concentration (V2). In addition, V2 exhibited the best storage stability. The in vitro studies demonstrated that increased carbohydrate concentration delivers the best anthocyanins protection. To prove its functionality, V2 was added to a salad dressing. The addition of powder has improved the concentration of biologically active compounds and the antioxidant activity of the salad dressings. These results support the assumption that microencapsulation may deliver bioactives from red onion skin as functional ingredients for value-added foods.

A Complex Characterization of Pumpkin and Quince Purees Obtained by a Combination of Freezing and Conventional Cooking.

Two main sources of fibers and bioactive compounds represented by pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) and quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) were selected for the present study. The current changes in consumers behavior oblige manufacturers to develop new assortments of ready-to-eat products, considering their nutritional characteristics. Hence, this study aimed to process free sugar pumpkin and quince puree using a combination of freezing (-15 °C) and cooking at 95 °C for 20 min. Four variants of purees were obtained by using different combinations between pumpkin and quince (pumpkin puree, quince puree, and pumpkin and quince puree in ratios of 1:1 and 3:1). The samples were characterized in terms of complex interconnected analysis, which could provide further information for the added-value products. Thus, highest values of ß-carotene content were attributed to pumpkin puree (P -5.34 ± 0.05 mg/g DW) and pumpkin and quince puree 3:1 (PQ 3:1 -3.78 ± 0.014 mg/g DW). These findings are also supported by the values of ABTS inhibition, which was registered as 71.32% for the P sample and 76.25% for the PQ 3:1 sample. The textural analysis revealed firmness values of 1.27 N for pumpkin puree and 2.33 N for quince puree. Moreover, the structural changes were minimum, while the cellular structure and some tissues were preserved intact.

Different Types of Meatballs Enriched with Wild Thyme/Lemon Balm Aqueous Extract-Complex Characterization.

In the context of the increasing lactation problems among breastfeeding women, the development of a healthy lifestyle is needed. Different variants of pork, turkey, and beef meatballs, with added lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) aqueous extract (6%), were obtained. These herbs were selected and used due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and lactogenic potential. Two thermal treatments, hot air convection (180 °C) and steam convection (94 °C), were applied for meatballs processing. The obtained meatballs were further subjected to a complex characterization. The functionality of the plant extracts was proved by the values of total content of polyphenols (2.69 ± 0.02 mg AG/g dw) and flavonoids (3.03 ± 0.24 mg EQ/g dw). FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of trans-anethole and estragole at 1507-1508 cm-1 and 1635-1638 cm-1, respectively. Costumers' overall acceptance had a score above 5.5 for all samples, on a scale of 1 to 9. Further analysis and human trials should be considered regarding the use of lactogenic herbs, given their health benefits and availability.

The Effect of Sodium Total Substitution on the Quality Characteristics of Green Pickled Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Green pickled tomatoes are a traditional fermented product in Romania. This study was focused on the effect of total substitution of NaCl with KCl and MgCl2 on physicochemical and microbiological quality; bioactive compounds; and microstructural, textural, and sensorial properties of fresh and pickled green tomatoes during 28 days of fermentation. By the means of physicochemical composition, the NaCl addition induced the most stable characteristics for the pickles compared to the other two types of salts. The content of total flavonoids in green pickled tomatoes with NaCl (34.72 ± 0.43 mg CE/g DW) was significantly lower compared with the control sample (63.80 ± 0.55 mg CE/g DW). The total number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) at the final stage of fermentation varied between 4.11 and 4.63 log CFU for all variants. The textural analysis revealed that the NaCl has the lowest influence on the textural parameters. Finally, the overall acceptance of green pickled tomatoes containing KCl and MgCl2 was found to be proper to be consumed as a substitute for pickles with NaCl.

Advanced Composites Based on Sea Buckthorn Carotenoids for Mayonnaise Enrichment.

This study aimed at the extraction and encapsulation of the carotenoids from sea buckthorn fruits and obtaining value-added mayonnaise. First, the carotenoids from sea buckthorn fruits were extracted using ultrasound-assisted extraction. Then, they were microencapsulated through complex coacervation and freeze-drying techniques using different wall material combinations. Two powders were obtained and analyzed in terms of encapsulation efficiency, total carotenoid content, antioxidant activity, stability of phytochemicals and color, morphological structure, and in vitro digestibility. All results pointed out that the carotenoid molecules were successfully encapsulated within the mixture of alginate, agar, and chitosan, with a 61.17 ± 0.89% encapsulation efficiency. To probe the functionality, the powder was added into mayonnaise in 2.5% and 5% amounts. The obtained mayonnaise samples were characterized in terms of phytochemical and antioxidant activity properties with their storage stability and texture, color, and sensory characteristics. A significant increase of total carotenoid content and antioxidant activity compared to the control sample was observed. The addition of powder also led to improved texture by increasing the firmness and adhesion. In addition, the sensory evaluation indicated an improved color and overall acceptability of the value-added mayonnaise. Thus, sea buckthorn extracts may be considered as valuable ingredients for the development of added-value food products.

Effect of added hydrocolloids on ready-to-eat courgette (Cucurbita pepo) puree ohmically treated.

The influence of two natural different hydrocolloids (apple and citrus pectin) on physical, rheological and textural parameters, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of the courgette (Cucurbita pepo) puree was studied. The experiment aimed the development of dysphagia-oriented food products, which need to meet special requirements as a challenge for food rheology and novel ready-to-eat products. The pectin was added in the range of 0.1-0.3%. The courgette puree was ohmically heated at 20 V/cm for 3 min. The ohmic heating was used to improve and preserve the main properties of the purees. The antioxidant activity is stimulated by the ohmic heating, the values ranging up to 58% compared with the control sample. The courgette purees with apple or citrus pectin has registered a pseudoplastic rheological behaviour. The hardness increases with 22% once with the application of the thermic treatment. FT-IR spectroscopy and confocal microscopy reveal the benefits of using the ohmic heating as a processing method for courgettes puree. The results demonstrated the importance of using ohmic heating in the obtaining of courgettes puree for people with dysphagia.

Attempts for Developing Novel Sugar-Based and Sugar-Free Sea Buckthorn Marmalades.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is recognized as a valuable source of vitamin C and antioxidants, frequently used as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. In the present study, attempts are made to produce and characterize a novel type of marmalade using sea buckthorn berries processed at 102 °C into marmalade in two combinations, with whole cane or stevia sugar. Changes in the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, color, shelf-life, texture, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics were determined. The total carotenoids content in the marmalades were significantly different, with values of 0.91 ± 0.03 mg/g dry weight (DW) in the sample with whole sugar cane (Cz) and 2.69 ± 0.14 mg/g DW in the sample with Stevia sugar (Cs). Significant values of polyphenols were found, of 59.41 ± 1.13 mg GAE/g DW in Cz and 72.44 ± 2.31 mg GAE/g DW in Cs, leading to an antioxidant activity of 45.12 ± 0.001 µMol Trolox/g DW and 118.07 ± 0.01 µMol Trolox/g DW, respectively. Accelerated storage study showed a decrease in all the phytochemicals, however no significant changes were found in antioxidant activity. Values of <100 CFU/g for yeasts and molds and <5 CFU/g for Enterobacteriaceae after 21 days of storage at the room temperature of the marmalades were determined. The sensorial and color results were more than acceptable. Overall, the results highlighted the potential of using sea buckthorn as a potential rich source of bioactive compounds to be used in the sugar-based products manufacturing.

Tailoring the Functional Potential of Red Beet Purées by Inoculation with Lactic Acid Bacteria and Drying.

This study was focused on a comparative analysis of two drying methods, such as convective and infrared drying, on the red beetroot purées with lactic acid bacteria, as a strategy for tailoring the health benefits of the selected plant. For both varieties, the total betalain contents varied from 13.95 ± 0.14 mg/g dry weight in Beta vulgaris var. cylindra when compared with 11.09 ± 0.03 mg/g dry weight in Beta vulgaris var. vulgaris, whereas significant differences were found in total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Significant drying induced changes were found in selected bioactives, in terms of total betalains, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which influenced the antioxidant activities of the purées, structure, and color parameters. In general, infrared technology was more protective, leading to an increase of 20% in flavonoids content. One logarithmic decrease in cell viability was observed in all powders samples. After the in vitro digestion, the betalains decreased, in both gastric and intestinal simulated juices, with a more pronounced profile in infrared processed purées. Textural and rheological analysis of the dried purées highlighted that the infrared drying is milder compared to the conventional one, allowing us to obtain powders with enhanced functional properties, in terms of bioactives content, cell viability, color, and structural and rheological behavior.

Three Types of Red Beetroot and Sour Cherry Based Marmalades with Enhanced Functional Properties.

The importance of bioactive compounds such as betalains and anthocyanins was highlighted in the present study by the valorization of red beetroot and sour cherry as an attempt to develop healthy products. The aim of the study was to obtain and characterize three types of marmalade based on red beetroot, sour cherry and both in 1:1 combination, obtained by heating at 95 °C for 30 min. Changes in total phenolic content, total flavonoids, betalains, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity were evaluated before and after the thermal treatment. Several other analyses such as color, rheological and textural analyses and confocal laser microscopy were performed to provide further information about the quality of the added-value food products. A significant decrease of 34% in betalains content was registered in the red beetroot marmalade due to the chemical changes in bioactives induced by the temperature. A satisfactory ABTS radical scavenging activity of 8.12 ± 0.38 mMol Trolox/g dry weight (dw) was obtained for the red beetroot and sour cherry based marmalade. The gelled structure was validated by the rheological and textural characteristics. The results highlighted the potential use of red beetroot and sour cherry as food raw materials, due to their particular profile of bioactive compounds.

Microencapsulation of Red Grape Juice by Freeze Drying and Application in Jelly Formulation.

The aim of this work is to obtain new food products enriched with bioactive compounds from concentrated grape juice microencapsulated by freeze drying using a whey protein isolate-chitosan system. The obtained powder showed an encapsulation efficiency of (86.1±4.0) %, with an anthocyanin mass fraction (expressed as cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalent) of (1.4±0.2) mg/g, while the total polyphenolic (expressed as gallic acid equivalents) and flavonoid (expressed as catechin equivalents) mass fractions were (3.3±0.6) and (1.6±0.5) mg/g, respectively. The confocal laser microscopy revealed the presence of the flavonoid pigments wrapped inside the matrix, whereas the anthocyanins were grouped into large and compact clusters. The microencapsulated powder was used for jelly formulation. The new food formulations have a satisfactory anthocyanin mass fraction ranging from (0.03±0.01) to (0.12±0.02) mg/g, while no significant differences were observed in flavonoid content. All the value-added jelly showed appreciable antioxidant activity. The in vitro digestibility results confirm a slow release of anthocyanins from the food matrices during simulated gastric digestion and a significant release of the bioactive compounds into the gut. The addition of microencapsulated powder caused a significant decrease in firmness, cohesiveness and springiness, leading to the destabilization of the gel structure, while reducing the attraction forces between the matrix components. The sensorial analysis indicated that the panellists preferred the sample with grape juice the most.

Three Types of Beetroot Products Enriched with Lactic Acid Bacteria.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) represents a very rich source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids, among which the most important being betalains, mainly betacyanins and betaxanthins. The beetroot matrix was used in a fresh or dried form or as lyophilized powder. A 1012 CFU/g inoculum of Lactobacillus plantarum MIUG BL3 culture was sprayed on the vegetal tissue. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) viability for all the products was evaluated over 21 days, by microbiological culture methods. The antioxidant activity of the obtained food products was correlated to the betalains content and the viability of LAB. The content of polyphenolic compounds varied between 225.7 and 1314.7 mg L-1, hence revealing a high content of bioactive compounds. Through the confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis, a large number of viable probiotic cells were observed in all the variants but especially in the fresh red beet cubes. After 21 days of refrigeration, the high content of Lb. plantarum (CFU per gram) of the food products was attributed to the biocompounds and the nutrients of the vegetal matrix that somehow protected the bacterial cells, and thus maintained their viability. The obtained food products enriched with probiotic LAB can be regarded as new functional food products due to the beneficial properties they possessed throughout the undertaken experiments.

Value-Added Pastry Cream Enriched with Microencapsulated Bioactive Compounds from Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Peel.

In this study, antioxidant-rich eggplant peel extract was used to obtain a value-added pastry cream. In order to reduce the susceptibility to degradation, microencapsulation of the biologically active compounds from the eggplant peel was first performed. The microencapsulated bioactive compounds powder (MBC) obtained through freeze-drying retained about 94.31% of the anthocyanins present in the extract, was rich in phenolic compounds, and displayed a high antioxidant activity. The purple colored powder was added to the pastry cream in different concentrations (5% and 10%), allowing significant increase of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, which were rather stable over 72 h of storage under refrigeration conditions. Sensory evaluation indicated that addition of MBC resulted in improved color and overall acceptability of the pastry cream formulation. All pastry cream samples exhibited rheological behavior specific to the weak gel-like structures, with increasing values of storage modulus with MBC addition. The instrumental texture analysis showed that MBC addition to the pastry cream slightly decreased the firmness and improved the chewiness of the samples.

Development of several hybrid drying methods used to obtain red beetroot powder.

Reduction of bioactive compounds sensitive to heat, light and oxygen could be attributed to drying. The effectiveness of microwave pretreatment at 525 or 420 W and the ohmic heating at 17.5 V/cm over the properties of beetroot powder were compared. This study aimed to develop novel hybrid drying methods. The effects of microwave and ohmic heating pre-treatment and subsequent microwave-convection drying were studied. Several investigations were performed, such as phenolic content, antioxidant activity, betalains content and color. The samples pretreated by microwave have registered higher polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity than those ohmically heated. The ohmic heating pretreated samples registered highest values for ΔL = 7.33-7.65 and ΔH = 8.18-10.02. Confocal microscopy reveals that the MW heating favors cellular lysis and cell content agglutinates. In conclusion, even if the MW preheating has certain disadvantages, in some cases it provides increased bioavailability generated by the vegetal cell disruption and the release of the bioactive compounds.

Improvement of Quality Properties and Shelf Life Stability of New Formulated Muffins Based on Black Rice.

Effects of partial (50%) and total replacement of wheat flour with black rice flour on the phytochemical, physico-chemical, sensorial, and textural properties of muffins were studied. Partial or total replacement of wheat flour with black rice flour in muffins improved their nutritional and antioxidative properties with a positive effect on microbiological and color stability during the storage period in accelerated conditions. The low gluten muffins had an anthocyanin content of 27.54 ± 2.22 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G)/100 g dry weight (DW), whereas the gluten free muffins had 46.11 ± 3.91 mg C3G/100 g DW, with significant antioxidant values. Retention of 60% and 64% for anthocyanins and 72% and 80% for antioxidant activity after baking was found. The fracturability and hardness scores increased with the addition of black rice flour, whereas firmness and chewiness increased for gluten free muffins. The confocal analysis revealed a tendency of glucidic components to aggregate, with gathers of small bunches of black rice starch granules comprising anthocyanin. The results allowed designing two new value added bakery products, low and free gluten muffins, with significant high amounts of bioactive compounds, suggesting the functional potential of black rice flour.

Influence of different drying methods on the physicochemical properties of red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. var. Cylindra).

There is an increased interest in preserving fruits and vegetables by drying. The novelty of this study consists in the combination of the following three drying methods: free convection (at 50, 60, and 70°C), forced convection at 40°C and 315W microwave power. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the drying conditions on red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) in terms of betalain variance, and polyphenol, microstructure changes (SEM). A strong thermal shock, provided by convection at 60° followed by microwave wattage 315W/9min, leads to a better preservation of bioactive compounds content (0.631±0.0042mg/g of betacyanin and 0.795±0.0019mg/g betaxanthin) when compared to convection at 50, 60 and 70°C. The results showed that combined drying methods led to a significant preservation of the phytochemical content as compared to the traditional methods.

Effect of different drying methods on moisture ratio and rehydration of pumpkin slices.

This study was carried to determine the influence of hot air drying process and combined methods on physicochemical properties of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) samples. The experiments in hot air chamber were lead at 50, 60 and 70 °C. The combined method consists of a triple combination of the main drying techniques. Thus, in first stage the samples were dried in hot air convection at 60 °C followed by hot air ventilation at 40 °C simultaneous with microwave. The time required to reduce the moisture content to any given level was highly dependent on the drying conditions. So, the highest value of drying time in hot air has been 540 min at 50 °C, while the lowest time has been 189 min in hot air combined by microwave at 40 °C and a power of 315 W. The samples dried by hot air shows a higher rehydration capacity than samples dried by combined method.

Ripening process of Cascaval cheese: compositional and textural aspects.

Two textural characteristics, elasticity modulus and firmness, were determined during the ripening process of Cascaval cheese, using both instrumental and sensorial techniques. Uniaxial compression was used to determine the textural characteristics and the results were compared with the ones obtained by sensorial analysis, revealing a good correlation. The chemical composition of cheese was also determined, including the nitrogen fractions (total nitrogen, water soluble nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen and phosphotungstic acid soluble nitrogen). The data thus obtained were statistically processed in order to find the differences between the samples, as well as to find the correlation between the techniques of analysis. The study showed that the ripening process of the Cascaval cheese is similar to the ripening of other pasta filata cheese. The moisture content decreases during maturation as a result of water evaporation. The concentration of nitrogen fractions increases during the ripening stage, and so do the firmness and elasticity modulus. The biochemical processes that occur during maturation largely influence the textural parameters and this is proved by both instrumental and sensorial analyses.