Beneficial Components Research Articles

Surface defects due to bacterial residue on shrimp shell

The changes in the surface chemistry and morphological structure of chitin forms obtained from shrimp shells (ShpS) with and without microorganisms were evaluated. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), estimated Pseudomonas spp. and Enterococcus spp. were counted in Shp-S by classical cultural counting on agar medium, where the counts were 6.56 ± 0.09, 6.30 ± 0.12, and 3.15 ± 0.03 CFU/g, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Energy dispersed X-ray (EDX) were used to assess the surface chemistry/functional groups and morphological structure for ChTfree (non-microorganism), and ChTmo (with microorganisms). ChTfree FTIR spectra presented a detailed chitin structure by OH, NH, and CO stretching vibrations, whereas specific peaks of chitin could not be detected in ChTmo. Major differences were also found in SEM analysis for ChTfree and ChTmo. ChTfree had a flat, prominent micropore, partially homogeneous structure, while ChTmo had a layered, heterogeneous, complex dense fibrous, and lost pores form. The degree of deacetylation was calculated for ChTfree and ChTmo according to FTIR and EDX data. The results suggest that the degree of deacetylation decreases in the presence of microorganisms, affecting the production of beneficial components negatively. The findings were also supported by the molecular docking model.

Effect of Cooking methods on Total Phenolics and Antioxidant activity of selected wild Edible plants

The objective of this assessment was to investigate how different cooking techniques, such as boiling and microwave cooking, impact the levels of total phenolics and antioxidant activity in commonly consumed plants like Perilla ocymoides, Clerodendrum colebrookeanum, Solanum gilo, Solanum kurzii, and Potentilla lineata, prevalent in the North-Eastern region of India. To measure the antioxidant properties of these plants, various methods were employed, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging ability, reducing power capacity, and the assessment of total phenolic, flavonoid, and flavonol contents. The analysis revealed that the total phenolic content (TPC) of fresh vegetables ranged from 77.47 to 797.68mg/100g (expressed as gallic acid equivalent) on a dry weight basis. The total antioxidant capacity of fresh plants, measured as the percentage of inhibition, varied between 7.62% and 83.44% for DPPH, and 12.22% to 79.46% for ABTS. Boiling emerged as the cooking method causing the greatest reduction in TPC, resulting in a decline ranging from 10.90% in P. lineata up to 25.66% in S. kurzii when calculated on a dry weight basis. Conversely, microwave cooking led to an enhancement in TPC, with an increase ranging from 2.20% to 11.80%. Furthermore, the impact of boiling on DPPH radical scavenging activities was notable, causing a decrease between 8.44% and 43.30%, and for ABTS radical scavenging activities, the reduction ranged from 10.24% to 34.45%. In contrast, microwave cooking had a positive effect on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, increasing them by 9.39% to 46.32%, and 8.49% to 46.39%, respectively, across the studied plants. In conclusion, the results suggest that microwave cooking stands out as the optimal method for preserving and even increasing the concentration of polyphenols and antioxidants in these plants. Conversely, boiling exhibited the least desirable outcomes in terms of retaining these beneficial components.

Feasibility of using pretreated sodium silicate-bonded waste foundry sand as fine aggregates for construction mortar

Insufficient utilization of sodium silicate-bound waste foundry sand (SS-WFS) in construction is due to the presence of harmful residual sodium silicate film on the sand surface, which are detrimental to cement hydration. Based on previous research, this study proposes a pretreatment method using another industrial waste, calcium carbide slag (CCS), to effectively remove pollutants from sodium silicate-bounded waste foundry sand (SS-WFS). The feasibility of pretreated SS-WFS as an alternative to natural sand and optimal washing duration were investigated. The results demonstrate that pretreated SS-WFS exhibits promising potential as a substitute for 100% natural sand as a fine aggregate within the construction industry, while demonstrating comparable mechanical properties to those of natural sand mortar. The residual sodium silicate film on the surface of SS-WFS undergo secondary hydration, leading to the formation of hydration products with a low calcium-to-silicon ratio in interfacial transition zone. This enhances the mechanical properties of the mortar and improves its deformation characteristics. The optimal washing duration is determined to be 5 min with 1% CCS, and compared to RS-0, the mortar strength has increased by 70%. Extended washing duration may cause the depletion of beneficial components, such as active Si2O, from the sand surface.

Unveiling Immunomodulatory Effects of Euglena gracilis in Immunosuppressed Mice: Transcriptome and Pathway Analysis.

The immunomodulatory effects of Euglena gracilis (Euglena) and its bioactive component, β-1,3-glucan (paramylon), have been clarified through various studies. However, the detailed mechanisms of the immune regulation remain to be elucidated. This study was designed not only to investigate the immunomodulatory effects but also to determine the genetic mechanisms of Euglena and β-glucan in cyclophosphamide (CCP)-induced immunosuppressed mice. The animals were orally administered saline, Euglena (800 mg/kg B.W.) or β-glucan (400 mg/kg B.W.) for 19 days, and CCP (80 mg/kg B.W.) was subsequently administered to induce immunosuppression in the mice. The mice exhibited significant decreases in body weight, organ weight, and the spleen index. However, there were significant improvements in the spleen weight and the spleen index in CCP-induced mice after the oral administration of Euglena and β-glucan. Transcriptome analysis of the splenocytes revealed immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulated in the Euglena- and β-glucantreated groups. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses indicated that pathways related with interleukin (IL)-17 and cAMP play significant roles in regulating T cells, B cells, and inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, Ptgs2, a major inflammatory factor, was exclusively expressed in the Euglena-treated group, suggesting that Euglena's beneficial components, such as carotenoids, could regulate these genes by influencing immune lymphocytes and inflammatory cytokines in CCP-induced mice. This study validated the immunomodulatory effects of Euglena and highlighted its underlying mechanisms, suggesting a positive contribution to the determination of phenotypes associated with immune-related diseases and the research and development of immunotherapies.

Increasing the Amounts of Bioactive Components in American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) Leaves Using Far-Infrared Irradiation.

Both the roots and leaves of American ginseng contain ginsenosides and polyphenols. The impact of thermal processing on enhancing the biological activities of the root by altering its component composition has been widely reported. However, the effects of far-infrared irradiation (FIR), an efficient heat treatment method, on the bioactive components of the leaves remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of FIR heat treatment between 160 and 200 °C on the deglycosylation and dehydration rates of the bioactive components in American ginseng leaves. As the temperature was increased, the amounts of common ginsenosides decreased while those of rare ginsenosides increased. After FIR heat treatment of American ginseng leaves at an optimal 190 °C, the highest total polyphenolic content and kaempferol content were detected, the antioxidant activity was significantly enhanced, and the amounts of the rare ginsenosides F4, Rg6, Rh4, Rk3, Rk1, Rg3, and Rg5 were 41, 5, 37, 64, 222, 17, and 266 times higher than those in untreated leaves, respectively. Moreover, the radical scavenging rates for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and the reducing power of the treated leaf extracts were 2.17, 1.86, and 1.77 times higher, respectively. Hence, FIR heat treatment at 190 °C is an efficient method for producing beneficial bioactive components from American ginseng leaves.

Differential Effects of Two Isocaloric Healthy Diets on Postprandial Lipid Responses in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

High blood concentrations of triglycerides (TG) in the postprandial period have been shown to be more closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than fasting values in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Dietary changes are the primary determinants of postprandial lipid responses. We investigated the effects of an isocaloric multifactorial diet, rich in n-3 PUFA, MUFA, fiber, polyphenols, and vitamins, compared to an isocaloric diet, containing the same amount of MUFA, on the postprandial lipid response in T2D individuals. Following a randomized, controlled, parallel group design, 43 (25 male/18 female) T2D individuals were assigned to an isocaloric multifactorial (n = 21) or a MUFA-rich diet (n = 22). At the beginning and after the 8 weeks of dietary intervention, the concentrations of plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol were detected at fasting and over a 4-h test meal with the same composition as the prescribed diet. The concentrations of fasting plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol did not change after both diets. Compared with the MUFA diet, the 8-week multifactorial diet significantly lowered the postprandial response, which was evaluated as the incremental area under the curve (iAUC), of triglycerides by 33% (64 ± 68 vs. 96 ± 50 mmol/L·240 min, mean ± SD, respectively, p = 0.018), total cholesterol by 105% (-51 ± 33 vs. -25 ± 29, p = 0.013), and non-HDL cholesterol by 206% (-39 ± 33 vs. -13 ± 23, p = 0.013). In T2D individuals, a multifactorial diet, characterized by several beneficial components, improved the postprandial lipid response compared to a MUFA diet, generally considered a healthy diet being reduced in saturated fat, and probably contributed to the reduction of cardiovascular risk.

Long chain monomethyl branched-chain fatty acid levels in human milk vary with gestational weight gain

Breastfeeding is an important determinant of infant health and there is immense interest in understanding its metabolite composition so that key beneficial components can be identified. The aim of this research was to measure the fatty acid composition of human milk in an Irish cohort where we examined changes depending on lactation stage and gestational weight gain trajectory. Utilizing a chromatography approach optimal for isomer separation, we identified 44 individual fatty acid species via GCMS and showed that monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids(mmBCFA's), C15:0 and C16:1 are lower in women with excess gestational weight gain versus low gestational weight gain. To further explore the potential contribution of the activity of endogenous metabolic pathways to levels of these fatty acids in milk, we administered D2O to C57BL/6J dams fed a purified lard based high fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet during gestation and quantified the total and de novo synthesized levels of fatty acids in their milk. We found that de novo synthesis over three days can account for between 10 and 50 % of mmBCFAs in milk from dams on the low-fat diet dependent on the branched-chain fatty acid species. However, HFD fed mice had significantly decreased de novo synthesized fatty acids in milk resulting in lower total mmBCFAs and medium chain fatty acid levels. Overall, our findings highlight the diverse fatty acid composition of human milk and that human milk mmBCFA levels differ between gestational weight gain phenotypes. In addition, our data indicates that de novo synthesis contributes to mmBCFA levels in mice milk and thus may also be a contributory factor to mmBCFA levels in human milk. Given emerging data indicating mmBCFAs may be beneficial components of milk, this study contributes to our knowledge around the phenotypic factors that may impact their levels.

A High-Efficiency Radio-Frequency-Assisted Hot-Air Drying Method for the Production of Restructured Bitter Melon and Apple Chips.

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly demanding processed food products with high levels of beneficial components. Bitter melon and apple are both nutritious foods rich in bioactive compounds. In this study, restructured bitter melon and apple chips were processed using four drying techniques: hot-air drying with/without exhaust air recirculation (EAR), and radio-frequency-assisted hot-air drying (RFHAD) with/without EAR. The drying characteristics, effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), specific energy consumption (SEC), total energy consumption (TEC), and some selected quality characteristics of the dehydrated chips were evaluated. The experimental results show that the application of radio frequency (RF) energy significantly facilitates water evaporation in the drying material, resulting in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of drying duration by 31~39% over the experimental test parameters. The higher Deff values obtained from RFHAD and RFHAD + EAR were 6.062 × 10-9 to 6.889 × 10-9 m2/s, while lower SEC values ranged from 301.57 to 328.79 kW·h/kg. Furthermore, the dried products possessed better or fairly good quality (such as a lower color difference of 5.41~6.52, a lower shrinkage ratio of 18.24~19.13%, better antioxidant capacity, higher chlorophyll, total flavonoid, and total phenolic content, a lower polyphenol oxidase activity of 49.82~52.04 U·min-1g-1, smaller diameter and thickness changes, and a lower hardness of 27.75~30.48 N) compared to those of hot-air-dried chips. The combination of RF-assisted air drying and partial recirculating of dryer exhaust air achieved the highest saving in TEC of about 12.4%, along with a lower moisture absorption capacity and no deterioration of product quality attributes. This drying concept is therefore recommended for the industrial drying of several food materials.

Dietary fiber and polyphenols from whole grains: effects on the gut and health improvements.

Cereals are the main source of energy in the human diet. Compared to refined grains, whole grains retain more beneficial components, including dietary fiber, polyphenols, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Dietary fiber and bound polyphenols (biounavailable) in cereals are important active substances that can be metabolized by the gut microorganisms and affect the intestinal environment. There is a close relationship between the gut microbiota structures and various disease phenotypes, although the consistency of this link is affected by many factors, and the specific mechanisms are still unclear. Remodeling unfavorable microbiota is widely recognized as an important way to target the gut and improve diseases. This paper mainly reviews the interaction between the gut microbiota and cereal-derived dietary fiber and polyphenols, and also summarizes the changes to the gut microbiota and possible molecular mechanisms of related glycolipid metabolism. The exploration of single active ingredients in cereals and their synergistic health mechanisms will contribute to a better understanding of the health benefits of whole grains. It will further help promote healthier whole grain foods by cultivating new varieties with more potential and optimizing processing methods.

LRNAS: Differentiable Searching for Adversarially Robust Lightweight Neural Architecture.

The adversarial robustness is critical to deep neural networks (DNNs) in deployment. However, the improvement of adversarial robustness often requires compromising with the network size. Existing approaches to addressing this problem mainly focus on the combination of model compression and adversarial training. However, their performance heavily relies on neural architectures, which are typically manual designs with extensive expertise. In this article, we propose a lightweight and robust neural architecture search (LRNAS) method to automatically search for adversarially robust lightweight neural architectures. Specifically, we propose a novel search strategy to quantify contributions of the components in the search space, based on which the beneficial components can be determined. In addition, we further propose an architecture selection method based on a greedy strategy, which can keep the model size while deriving sufficient beneficial components. Owing to these designs in LRNAS, the lightness, the natural accuracy, and the adversarial robustness can be collectively guaranteed to the searched architectures. We conduct extensive experiments on various benchmark datasets against the state of the arts. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LRNAS method is superior at finding lightweight neural architectures that are both accurate and adversarially robust under popular adversarial attacks. Moreover, ablation studies are also performed, which reveals the validity of the individual components designed in LRNAS and the component effects in positively deciding the overall performance.

Cordia Dichotoma: A Comprehensive Review of its Phytoconstituents and Endophytic Fungal Metabolites and their Potential Anticancer Effects.

Cordia Dichotoma is a valuable medicinal plant belonging to the family Boraginaceae. It consists of several beneficial secondary metabolite components, including alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, and tannins. Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the anticancer properties of Cordia Dichotoma on MCF-7, A-549, PC3, and HeLa cancer cell lines, primarily utilizing ethanolic extract, methanolic extract, and chloroform extract. The results of these studies have demonstrated significant effects. Furthermore, several studies have revealed the rich phytoconstituent content of Cordia Dichotoma with some significant components previously utilized by researchers to investigate the anticancer properties of specific compounds. This review discusses several of these components, including β-sitosterol, α-amyrin, Quercitrin, Robinin, betulin, Taxifolin, and Hesperetin. Additionally, a recent study uncovered that the anticancer effect of metabolites from endophytic fungi residing on the Cordia Dichotoma plant is attributed to a property of the plant itself. This review focuses on the current state of anticancer research related to this plant and its components.

Enrichment of Bread With Green Pumpkin, Watermelon and Cucumber Peels: Physicochemical, Pasting, Rheological, Antioxidant and Organoleptic Properties

Sustainable food production through harnessing the potential of phenolic‐rich vegetable by‐products is crucial to ensuring food security. Thus, the current work signifies the impact of vegetable peel powder (VPP) substitution (3%, 5%, and 10%) on the physico‐functional, pasting, gel texture, dough rheology, antioxidant and sensory properties of panned wheat bread. The VPP’s existence elevated the oil and water holding capacities (OHCs and WHCs) of the composite flour. The pasting properties, such as final and peak viscosities (cp) and pasting temperature (°C), were significantly debilitated (p &lt; 0.05) with the substitution of VPP. Moreover, the composite flour gels showed reduced hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and gumminess. The micro‐doughLab data showed that the dough showed elevated dough development time and water absorption, greater softening and lower stability with enlarged VPP substitution. The final baked bread obtained a lower volume, a lower specific volume and a darker crust and crumb, whereas lipids, proteins and minerals were magnified by the increased substitution of VPP. An impressive increase in total phenolic content was noticed with a marginal surge in flavonoids; however, antioxidant activity was amplified significantly (p &lt; 0.05) for the extract of VPP‐containing bread. Although the bread substituted with VPP remained less accepted by sensory analysis for its colour, taste, flavour, texture and overall acceptability, it could be a potential source of fibres, minerals and other beneficial bioactive components that would enhance the consumer’s life quality and health.

Towards more sustainable cooking practices to increase the bioaccessibility of colourless and provitamin A carotenoids in cooked carrots.

The effect of different cooking methods (boiling, baking, steaming and microwaving) on the colour and texture of carrots, as well as on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids, was investigated in order to identify the more "sustainable cooking" methods. Cooking resulted in statistically significant increases in total carotenoid bioaccessibility, both with intensity and duration of treatments. In particular, significant increases in carotenoid bioaccessible content (CBC) were observed, ranging from 6.03-fold (microwave) to 8.90-fold (baking) for the most intense cooking conditions tested. Although the relative concentration of the colourless carotenoids (phytoene and phytofluene) in raw carrots is lower than that of provitamins A α- and β-carotene, the bioaccessible content of the colourless ones is much higher. From an energy consumption standpoint and considering samples with the same tenderness, the highest CBC values per kWh decreased in the order microwaving > baking > water cooking > steaming. Our findings are important to help combat vitamin A deficiency since increases of up to ∼40-fold and ∼70-fold in the CBCs of the vitamin A precursors α- and β-carotene, respectively, were observed. These results provide a basis for defining "sustainable cooking" as "cooking practices that optimize intensity, duration and other parameters leading to a more efficient use of energy to maximize the bioavailability of nutrients and other beneficial food components (such as bioactives) while ensuring food appeal and safety".

Imaging metabolic mechanisms and the binding behavior of nutrients/transporters of edible Matricaria flowers VOCs

To promote the consumption of flowers and to utilize the nutritional value of proteins, the efficacy of the beneficial components of flowers has been intensively studied. Anthemis nobilis was used as the study object, and all its volatile components (VOCs) were fingerprinted using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction gas-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC–MS). GC–MS fingerprints of five parts of Anthemis nobilis were established using three proteins, bovine lactoferrin (BLF), bovine lactoglobulin (β-Lg), and human serum albumin (HSA), as nutrient transporters. The interactions between the volatile components from different parts of the mother chrysanthemum plant and the nutrient/transport proteins were investigated. The results of fingerprinting showed that the flavor components were dominated by alkenes. In addition, this study revealed that among the three nutrient transporters, the strongest binding to the adsorbed volatile components was HSA, followed by BLF, and β-Lg was second. In addition, a characteristic molecule, camphene, was screened. Integrated molecular simulation using fluorescence spectroscopy was used to validate the results of the interaction of the nutrient/transport proteins systems with characteristic molecule. The properties of the characteristic molecules such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity in vivo were analyzed using ADMET to provide a theoretical basis for the preparation of flower-flavored dairy products.

Spatially Selective Solvation Structure by Electronegative Micro-Arrays for Stable Lithium-Metal Anode Interface.

For electrolytes with conventional lithium salt concentration, it is not easy to generate sufficient anion-derived beneficial inorganic components to stabilize the electrolyte-lithium metal anode interface due to the repulsion of the free-state anions by the anode. In this study, the above issues are solved through the strong interaction between electronegative materials and lithium ions (Li+ ). A locally high Li+ concentration strategy is proposed by preparing micro-arrays of electronegative nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) on the Cu foil. It is found that the oxygenatoms in the phosphate group (-PO4 ) of the nHA can strongly adsorb Li+ to form a locally Li+ -rich region, which increases the probability of anions interacting with Li+ . The formation of more Li+ -coordinated anions at the electrolyte-anode interface can reduce the Li+ de-solvation energy barrier, and enable the anions to completely decompose into lithium fluoride (LiF) and lithium nitride (Li3 N) on the Li metal anode. The interfacial transfer dynamics is accelerated and the Li dendrites are effectively suppressed. Under high current density, the anode exhibits a long lifespan with high Coulombic efficiency and small polarization voltage. The nHA micro-arrays achieve the targeted solvation structure at the electrolyte-anode interface while ensuring conventional lithium salt concentration in the bulk electrolyte.

Pathogen Eradication in Garlic in the Phytobiome Context: Should We Aim for Complete Cleaning?

Global food production is challenged by plant pathogens that cause significant crop losses. Fungi, bacteria, and viruses have long threatened sustainable and profitable agriculture. The danger is even higher in vegetatively propagated horticultural crops, such as garlic. Currently, quarantine, rouging infected plants, and control of natural vectors are used as the main means of disease and pest control in garlic crops. Agricultural biotechnology, meristem-tip culture, and cryotherapy offer solutions for virus eradication and for the multiplication of 'clean stocks', but at the same time, impact the symbiotic and beneficial components of the garlic microbiome. Our research involves the first metatranscriptomic analysis of the microbiome of garlic bulb tissue, PCR analyses, and a biological assay of endophytes and pathogens. We have demonstrated that in vitro sanitation methods, such as shoot tip culture or cryotherapy can alter the garlic microbiome. Shoot tip culture proved ineffective in virus elimination, but reduced bacterial load and eliminated fungal infections. Conversely, cryotherapy was efficient in virus eradication but demolished other components of the garlic microbiome. Garlic plants sanitized by cryotherapy exhibited a lower survival rate, and a longer in vitro regeneration period. The question arises whether total eradication of viruses, at the expense of other microflora, is necessary, or if a partial reduction in the pathogenic load would suffice for sanitized garlic production. We explore this question from both scientific and commercial perspectives.

Effects of Traditional and Novel Cooking Processes on the Nutritional and Bioactive Profile of Brassica oleracea (Kale)

The present study investigates the impact of traditional and novel cooking techniques on the nutritional and bioactive profile of Brassica oleracea, commonly known as kale. As a member of the Brassica family, kale is well known for its high nutritional value and possible health benefits. However, it is crucial to remember that the cooking techniques can significantly impact the nutritional profile of kale. Various cooking methods were applied to kale samples through controlled experiments. Traditional techniques like boiling and steaming were compared with innovative approaches such as microwave cooking and vacuum cooking. Soluble solids, which include sugars and other compounds, were used as indicators of nutritional change. Additionally, the levels of vital bioactive components, such as vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, were analyzed to assess the overall impact of cooking methods. Preliminary findings suggest that the choice of cooking method plays a pivotal role in determining the extent of nutritional and bioactive alterations in kale. Traditional methods, such as boiling, exhibited substantial losses of soluble solids and certain heat-sensitive nutrients. In contrast, novel methods like vacuum cooking displayed better preservation of soluble solids and bioactive compounds. The study sheds light on the complex relationship between cooking techniques and the nutritional integrity of kale. By exploring various methods, this review paper contributes to understanding how culinary practices can be optimized to enhance the retention of vital nutrients and beneficial bioactive components in kale. These findings hold practical implications for individuals seeking to maximize the health benefits of kale consumption while enjoying its culinary versatility.

Quality Characteristics of Healthy Bread Produced from Germinated Brown Rice, Germinated Mung Bean, and Germinated White Kidney Bean

Germinated grains and pulses are known as sources of bioactive compounds that provide beneficial effects for human health. Moreover, germination improves their protein digestibility and biological properties. This research aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of the composite flour made by blending germinated brown rice (GBR), germinated mung bean (GMB), and germinated white kidney bean (GWKB) at the ratio of 1:1:1. Additionally, the quality of bread made by substituting the composite flour for wheat flour at 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% (w/w) was assessed. The results showed that the composite flour had significantly higher amounts of fat, protein, crude fiber, ash, GABA, and total phenolic content than wheat flour. The antioxidant capacity, calculated as vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC), of the composite flour was 42.86 mg/100 g, which was twice that of wheat flour. The pasting properties of the GBR, GMB, and GWKB flours, including the composite flour were considerably different from those of wheat flour. Based on this study, the optimized level of the composite flour substitution was 25 g per100 g of wheat flour. The wheat composite flour bread showed higher levels of beneficial components, such as protein, minerals, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and polyphenols, and antioxidant capacity, than the control bread. Bread made with a 25% substitution of composite flour had a more yellow hue than the control wheat bread, but there was no discernible difference in the loaf's specific volume, density, and firmness.

Microwave-Assisted Hot Air Drying of Orange Snacks: Drying Kinetics, Thin Layer Modeling, Quality Attributes, and Phenolic Profiles

Citrus fruits, regarded as a prominent fruit crop, are cultivated extensively around the globe and orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is a widely cultivated popular member of the citrus family. Dried oranges have gained recognition as a healthy snack option among consumers and worldwide markets due to the absence of additional ingredients such as sugar and chemicals, whilst yet containing significant natural beneficial components. The drying method is very intriguing due to its ability to facilitate the efficient production, packaging, storage, and transportation of dried oranges at a cost-effective price. In this study, the effects of microwave pretreatment (Mpt) (90 W, 30 min) on hot air drying (HTAD-MW) (60, 70, and 80°C) were investigated, along with the effects on the drying kinetics, rehydration capacity, and quality properties of the orange snack including phenolic compounds (vanillic acid, gallic acid, epicatechin, hesperidin, naringenin, chlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, and o-coumaric acid), antioxidant capacities (with DPPH, FRAP, and CUPRAC methods), and ascorbic acid contents. For modeling the kinetics of orange snack drying in all tests, logarithmic, Wang and Singh’s, diffusion approach, two term, and Wang and Sing’s models performed best. Hot air drying (HTAD) at 70°C applied orange snacks showed the lowest △E ∗ ab value, and the color values were close to those of fresh orange slices. The levels of total and individual phenolics, antioxidant capacity (AC), and ascorbic acid (AA) in dried orange snacks were found to be significantly lower ( p &lt; 0.05) than in the fresh orange slices. Results also showed that HTAD-MW-applied orange snacks contained more total phenolic (TP) content, individual phenolic content, and AC but lower AA than HTAD-applied samples. The highest amount of phenolic compound was hesperidin for fresh and dried orange snacks. The method that best preserves the TP content and AC of dried orange snacks was found at the drying condition of HTAD-MW at 60°C. As a conclusion, it was suggested that the use of microwave and hot air combination is a promising method to introduce a new functional healthy snack to the dried product market with high quality.

Fiber drink from Eucheuma cottonii and red dragon popping boba with honey pineapple extract

The large production of Eucheuma cottonii, red dragon fruit, and honey pineapple in Indonesia offers economic and health potential, as it contains beneficial nutritional components such as fiber and bioactive compounds. This study aimed to formulate a dietary fiber drink with acceptable organoleptic properties and analyze the nutrient content, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and nutritional claims of the formulation of popping boba with honey pineapple extract. This study was conducted in a completely randomized design with a single factor, seaweed (RL) and red dragon (NM) formulation. The treatment in this study was the RL: NM formula in percent was 100:0 (F1), 80:20 (F2), 75:25 (F3), 70:30 (F4). The results showed that the F3 formula had a total of 5.76% dietary fiber with acceptable organoleptic properties based on the ranking test (1.8) and hedonic test (6.83 out of 9), strong antioxidant activity (88.97 ppm), and compliance with nutritional claims. The F3 formula showed compliance with dietary fiber source claims, acceptable organoleptic properties, and strong antioxidant activity, so it has the potential to be developed as a modern popping boba rich in fiber and antioxidants that is sustainable, functional, and profitable in economic value.