Chemical Stability of Ascorbic Acid Integrated into Commercial Products: A Review on Bioactivity and Delivery Technology

The L-enantiomer of ascorbic acid is commonly known as vitamin C. It is an indispensable nutrient and plays a key role in retaining the physiological process of humans and animals. L-gulonolactone oxidase, the key enzyme for the de novo synthesis of ascorbic acid, is lacking in some mammals including humans. The functionality of ascorbic acid has prompted the development of foods fortified with this vitamin. As a natural antioxidant, it is expected to protect the sensory and nutritional characteristics of the food. It is thus important to know the degradation of ascorbic acid in the food matrix and its interaction with coexisting components. The biggest challenge in the utilization of ascorbic acid is maintaining its stability and improving its delivery to the active site. The review also includes the current strategies for stabilizing ascorbic acid and the commercial applications of ascorbic acid.

Impact of Raw, Roasted and Dehulled Chickpea Flours on Technological and Nutritional Characteristics of Gluten-Free Bread

The main objective of this study was to develop a healthy rice-based gluten-free bread by using raw, roasted, or dehulled chickpea flours. All breads containing chickpea flours showed a darker crust and were characterized by an alveolar (porosity 41.5–51.4%) and soft crumb (hardness 5.5-14.1 N). Roasted chickpea flour bread exhibited the highest specific volume, the softest crumb, and the slowest staling rate. Enriching rice-based breads with the chickpea flours resulted in increased protein (from 9.72 to 12.03–13.21 g/100 g dm), ash (from 2.01 to 2.45–2.78 g/100 g dm), fat (from 1.61 to 4.58–5.86 g/100 g), and total phenolic contents (from 49.36 up to 80.52 mg GAE/100 g dm), and in reduced (~10–14% and 13.7–17%, respectively) available starch levels and rapidly digestible starch compared to rice bread. Breads with roasted chickpea flour also showed the highest in vitro protein digestibility. The results of this study indicated that the enrichment of rice-based gluten-free breads with chickpea flours improved the technological and nutritional quality of the breads differently according to the processed chickpea flour used, also allowing recovery of a waste product.

Techno-Functional and Gelling Properties of Acha (Fonio) (Digitaria exilis stapf) Flour: A Study of Its Potential as a New Gluten-Free Starch Source in Industrial Applications

Fonio (Digitaria exilis Stapf) is an ancient African cereal that represents a rich source of carbohydrate, fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and sulfur-containing amino acids. Processing and utilization of fonio require adequate knowledge of its structural, chemical, and nutritional characteristics. The present work evaluates the structural, techno-functional, and gelling properties of fonio and compares them to other major gluten-free cereals (rice, maize, sorghum, and millet). Fonio flour presented significantly higher water absorption index and swelling power, while it scored a lower water solubility index than the reference flours. The pasting viscosity profile of fonio was similar to that of rice, with equivalent peak viscosity but a breakdown viscosity 24% lower than rice, indicative of higher stability and resistance to shearing and heating. Rheological properties demonstrated that fonio generates gels with remarkably strong structures. At 15% concentration, fonio gel withstood stress 579% higher than those observed in the reference flours without breaking its structure. Fonio flour presented the highest gelatinization enthalpy (11.45 J/g) and a narrow gelatinization temperature range (9.96 °C), indicative of a better-packed starch structure than the other analyzed flours. The texture of the gels made with fonio showed higher firmness over the evaluated period. These combined results suggest that fonio is a suitable ingredient for gel-like food formulations.

Innovative Pulses for Western European Temperate Regions: A Review

In Europe, there is an increasing interest in pulses both for their beneficial effects in cropping systems and for human health. However, despite these advantages, the acreage dedicated to pulses has been declining and their diversity has reduced, particularly in European temperate regions, due to several social and economic factors. This decline has stimulated a political debate in the EU on the development of plant proteins. By contrast, in Southern countries, a large panel of minor pulses is still cropped in regional patterns of production and consumption. The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential for cultivation of minor pulses in European temperate regions as a complement to common pulses. Our assumption is that some of these crops could adapt to different pedoclimatic conditions, given their physiological adaptation capacity, and that these pulses might be of interest for the development of innovative local food chains in an EU policy context targeting protein autonomy. The research is based on a systematic review of 269 papers retrieved in the Scopus database (1974–2019), which allowed us to identify 41 pulses as candidate species with protein content higher than 20% that are already consumed as food. For each species, the main agronomic (e.g., temperature or water requirements) and nutritional characteristics (e.g., proteins or antinutritional contents) were identified in their growing regions. Following their agronomic characteristics, the candidate crops were confronted with variability in the annual growing conditions for spring crops in Western European temperate areas to determine the earliest potential sowing and latest harvest dates. Subsequently, the potential sum of temperatures was calculated with the Agri4cast database to establish the potential climatic suitability. For the first time, 21 minor pulses were selected to be grown in these temperate areas and appear worthy of investigation in terms of yield potential, nutritional characteristics or best management practices.

Labelling Assessment of Greek “Quality Label” Prepacked Cheeses as the Basis for a Branded Food Composition Database

A labelling assessment study of Greek prepacked “quality label” cheeses was conducted with a view to provide an overview of the whole category. In total, 158 prepacked products belonging to 19 “quality label” cheeses were identified in the Greek market. Among them, Feta had the highest share followed by Kasseri, Graviera Kritis, Kefalograviera and Ladotyri Mitilinis with 81, 16, 15, 11 and 9 products found in the market, respectively. For the rest of the 14 cheeses, the share was limited, ranging from 1 to 4. All labelling indications, nutritional information, claims and other labelling data were recorded and analysed in relation to their compliance against European food law requirements. The results of the analysis showed that for only 6 of the 19 cheeses, all products fully complied with EU labelling legislation. Among the 14 mandatory labelling requirements, the lowest overall compliance was observed for allergens declaration (65%). The analysis of the nutritional data showed a remarkable variability between cheeses and products. Differences in the nutritional characteristics were more pronounced among soft, semi-hard, hard and whey cheese. The above data were entered into an archival database. Application of global harmonisation and standardisation guidelines and tools lead to the initialisation of a branded food composition database (BFCD), conceptualising a specialised database for “quality label” foods.

Analysis of trypsin activity at β-casein layers formed on hydrophobic surfaces using a multiharmonic acoustic method

Proteolysis of milk proteins, such as caseins, caused by milk proteases, can change the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of milk, and therefore it is essential to monitor this enzymatic activity....

Mathematical modeling and thermodynamic properties in the drying of citron watermelon seeds

ABSTRACT Citron watermelon is an agricultural product of excellent economic potential. Its seeds are widely used for oil extraction, serving as an energy source, showing nutritional characteristics that make them a suitable product to be studied. Thus, the objective was to characterize citron watermelon seeds regarding their physicochemical composition, in addition to determining drying kinetics, fitting mathematical models to the data, and determining the effective diffusivity coefficients and thermodynamic properties. The seeds were dried in a convective dryer, varying the drying temperature, with air velocity of 1.0 m s-1. With the increase in drying temperature, there were reductions in moisture content, water activity (aw), ash concentration, total titratable acidity, lipids and reducing sugar. Citron watermelon seeds are rich in lipids and ash, have low sugar concentration and low acidity; their drying kinetics was very well described by the Two Terms and Approximation of Diffusion models, followed by the models of Midilli and Page, which resulted in acceptable fits. Effective diffusivity accompanied the increase in drying temperature, and this behavior was well fitted by an Arrhenius-type equation. Enthalpy and entropy variations were reduced with drying temperature, with increments in Gibbs free energy.

Effect of captive rearing on meat and haemolymph nutritional characteristics of snail (Archachatina marginata swainson)

An experiment was conducted to investigate and compare the impact of treatment, which is the source of snail (wild and captive reared) on the proximate and mineral composition (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe and Mn) of the meat and haemolymph of African land snails (Archachatina marginata). Ninety (90) adult snails (250.00 + 0.5g) were randomly distributed into two (2) treatments, each of three replicates, (15 snails per replicate), in a Complete Randomized Design. Samples of meat and haemolymph collected using standard procedures were subsequently analyzed for their nutritional qualities, using standard chemical analytical procedures. All data collected were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, while significant variation were separated with Duncan Multiple Range Test of the same package. The proximate composition of the meat revealed higher (P>0.05) DM (26.00%), Ether extract (2.17%) and NFE (3.57%) in SC, while there was a non-significant variation (P<0.05) in most proximate factors for haemolymph, except NFE (4.27%), which was higher (P>0.05) in SW. The mineral profiling of the meat revealed elevated (PP>0.05) levels of Fee (22.30mg/kg) and Mn (4.79mg/kg) of SC, the haemolymph recorded improved levels (P>0.05) for all mineral elements in SC. In conclusion, the captive rearing of snail had improved impact on thenutritional qualities of SC.