Incorporating plant-derived bioactive ingredients into dairy products is a promising strategy for the development of functional foods with health-promoting properties. This study evaluated the effects of Nigella sativa (black cumin) flour (0.5% and 1%, w/w) on the physicochemical composition, total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS), microbiological stability and sensory properties of Romanian Telemea cheese. Fortification with Nigella sativa flour significantly increased total polyphenol content to 0.91 and 1.82 mg GAE/100 g for the 0.5% and 1% additions, respectively, while antioxidant capacity reached 1.53 and 3.05 mg TE/100 g (DPPH) and 40.00 and 80.00 mg TE/100 g (ABTS) (p < 0.05). Microbiological analyses revealed complete inhibition of Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds in fortified cheeses. Sensory evaluation identified 0.5% as the optimal fortification level, balancing improved bioactivity and consumer acceptability. The results demonstrate that moderate fortification (0.5%) effectively improves functional value while maintaining technological and sensory characteristics, supporting the development of clean-label functional brine cheeses

This study aimed to solvent selection for testing the medicinal plant Paederia foetida leaf extracts for combating bacterial infection.UV-VIS spectroscopy, therefore the extraction factor (EF) analysis and FTIR spectra indicate that ethanol is more efficient solvent over the acetone.Antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was evaluated, and a concentration-dependent inhibition was observed.The antibacterial activity of the Paederia foetida leaf extracts consist of specific phytochemicals that may disrupt bacterial membrane integrity and inhibit metabolic pathways.Therefore, our findings illustrate Paederia foetida has the potential to be a promising resource for natural antibacterial agents, where ethanol is the preferred extraction solvent.

This study explores the potential of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) cellulose in developing edible films as a sustainable alternative for food packaging.Edible films are biodegradable and eco-friendly materials that minimize plastic waste while maintaining food safety and quality.Water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant with a cellulose content of approximately 62.15%, offers a promising source for bioplastic production.This research investigates the effects of varying concentrations of hyacinth cellulose (3%, 4%, and 5%) and glycerol (1% and 1.5%) on edible films' physical and chemical properties, with carrageenan as a structural agent.Results indicate that higher cellulose concentrations increase tensile strength and reduce water absorption, while higher glycerol concentrations enhance flexibility and increase water absorption and thickness.The optimal combination of glycerol, carrageenan, and cellulose in the edible film formulation is necessary to balance flexibility, mechanical strength, water absorption, and the desired moisture content.Based on the film thickness, tensile strength, water absorption, and moisture content test, the best edible film is 5% hyacinth cellulose and 1.5% glycerol.

The study presents the monitoring of nitrate and nitrite levels from some vegetable samples (lettuce -Lactuca sativa, carrot -Daucus carota, parsley root -Petroselinum hortense, kohlrabi -Brasica oleracea variety gongyloyides, spinach -Spinacea oleracea, celery -Apium graveolens, cabbage -Brasica oleracea and beetroot -Beta vulgaris) purchased from a local market in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and a supermarket in Antwerp, Belgium.The analyses were performed using a laboratory molecular adsorption spectrophotometer.Based on the t-test for method evaluation, it was determined that the method is not affected by systematic errors.The nitrite concentrations recorded ranged from 8.6 g/g for kohlrabi from Romania to 557.3 g/g for red beet samples from Belgium.Comparing the results from all vegetable samples, the main conclusion was that nitrates were below the maximum level, while nitrites were significantly above the maximum permitted limit according to European legislation (for lettuce and beetroot).

This study explores the cultivation and antioxidant properties of Schizophyllum commune, commonly known as the split-gill mushroom, as a sustainable natural food source.The growth performance of S. commune was evaluated on two lignocellulosic substrates, which are rubber wood and cocopeat.Key antioxidant activities include 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl stable free radical (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis (3ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant (FRAP) assays were analyzed to assess the bioactive potential of the mushrooms.The highest inhibition in rubber wood samples was recorded in 100% sawdust (55%), with the lowest inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) value being 0.957 g/ml in ABTS, while 75% inhibition in DPPH.Rubberwood substrates yielded superior growth and higher levels of antioxidant activity, suggesting that the substrate can optimize both biomass and bioactive compound production.This research highlights S. commune as a viable alternative food source with significant antioxidant potential, promoting sustainability and contributing to the search for natural supplements and antioxidant sources for food.

Hydrocolloids are usually applied in leavened food products for the purpose of improving crumb textural and structural properties along with the storage stability.The current study was focused on assessing the effect of selected commercially available hydrocolloid materials (Xanthan gum, Guar gum, Sodium alginate), Neolitsea cassia leaves mucilage, and dehydrated Spirulina (Spirulina maxima) powder on the quality characteristics of ricebased leavened products that are fermented and gelatinized under slightly high initial air pressure conditions.Eleven rice-based (rice: wheat, 50: 50 w/w) dough samples, comprising different levels of commercial hydrocolloids (0.5%, 0.75%), N. cassia leaves extract (5%, 10%), and dehydrated Spirulina powder (1%, 1.5%) were prepared.Then, they were fermented and gelatinized in an enclosed chamber at 1.0 kg/cm 2 initial air pressure.Crumb volume, texture, cellular structure properties, and the storage stability of each crumb sample were evaluated and compared with a control.Results revealed the application of 0.75% Guar gum imparted to having a comparatively high crumb volume, specific volume and low bulk density, hardness, and a low crumb hardening rate during storage, despite uneven crumb cellular structure due to coalesced gas cells.Mucilaginous materials extracted from N. cassia leaves contributed to having a higher moisture retention capacity of the crumb during storage.The addition of dehydrated Spirulina powder also contributes resulting in a product with better volume and texture with an acceptable effect on preserving crumb characteristics during the storage.

This study evaluates the effect of Smart IoT-Enabled IR-Assisted Refractance Window Drying (IR-RWD) on drying kinetics as well as physicochemical and thermal characteristics of peeled and unpeeled guava pulp samples, with respect to other three drying techniques which are tray drying (TD), vacuum drying (VD), and refractance window drying (RWD).The drying experiments conducted at 60C across four different drying techniques and revealed significant variations in drying time.The average drying times recorded for the peeled sample were 420, 420, 390, and 300 minutes for TD, VD, RWD, and IR-RWD, respectively, whereas the unpeeled guava sample exhibited drying times of 510, 450, 420, and 300 minutes.Moreover, this study highlighted that the RWD and IR-RWD dried sample displayed notably higher levels of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) as compared with TD and VD sample.Specifically, the TPC was observed 205.1 mg GAE/100g, and the TFC was 645.4 mg QE/100g in IR-RWU samples.An SEM analysis reveals that the peeled samples display smoother and more uniform textures than their unpeeled equivalents.Among the different drying techniques, the IR-RWD method was the most efficient, retaining the highest levels of nutrients while requiring the shortest drying time.This suggests that the IR-RWD technique could be a superior method for drying guava pulp, preserving its nutritional and antioxidant properties more effectively than the traditional TD and VD methods.

This study investigates the impact of Moringa leaf powder and fresh Moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera L.) on the antioxidant activity, chemical composition, and crude fiber content of milkfish (Chanos chanos) sausage.Milkfish is valued for its high protein and omega-3 content but poses challenges in processing due to its numerous fine bones.Sausage production offers an effective way to debone and transform milkfish into a convenient and versatile food product.Incorporating Moringa leaves enhances its nutritional profile, as Moringa is rich in essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants that provide various health benefits.This study employed a completely randomized design with three treatments: a control (K0), 6% Moringa leaf powder (K1), and 12% fresh Moringa leaves (K2), each replicated three times.Antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH method, with data analyzed through one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test at a 5% significance level.Results showed that both Moringa leaf powder and fresh leaves significantly increased antioxidant activity, with values of 0.7112% (K0), 16.8424% (K1), and 17.0608% (K2).The proximate composition and crude fiber content also improved significantly, demonstrating the potential of Moringa-fortified milkfish sausage as a functional food.