Complex Food Systems Research Articles

Spectral reconstruction from RGB image to hyperspectral image: Take the detection of glutamic acid index in beef as an example

The use of spectral reconstruction (SR) to recovery RGB images to full-scene hyperspectral image (HSI) is an important measure to achieve real-time and low-cost HSI applications. Taking the detection of glutamic acid index for 360 beef samples as an example, the feasibility of using 11 state-of-the-art reconstruction algorithms to achieve RGB to HSI in complex food systems was investigated. The multivariate correlation analysis was used to prove that RGB is a projection of three-channel comprehensive coverage wide-band information. The comprehensive quality attributes (PSNR-Params-FLOPS) was proposed to determine the optimal reconstruction model (MST++, MST, MIRNet, and MPRNet). Moreover, SSIM values and t-SNE were introduced to evaluate the consistency of the reconstruction results. Finally, Lightweight Transformer was used to establish the detection models of Raw-HSI, RGB and SR-HSI for the prediction of glutamic acid index for beef. The results showed that the MST++ model exhibited the best performance in SR, with RMSE, PSNR, and SSIM values of 0.015, 36.70, and 0.9253, respectively. Meanwhile, the prediction effect of MST++ (R2P = 0.8422 and RPD = 2.46) reconstructed was close to the Raw-HSI (R2P = 0.8526 and RPD = 2.69). The results provide practical application scenarios and detailed analysis ideas for RGB-to-HSI.

Recent Advances in Astaxanthin as an Antioxidant in Food Applications.

In recent years, astaxanthin as a natural substance has received widespread attention for its potential to replace traditional synthetic antioxidants and because its antioxidant activity exceeds that of similar substances. Based on this, this review introduces the specific forms of astaxanthin currently used as an antioxidant in foods, both in its naturally occurring forms and in artificially added forms involving technologies such as emulsion, microcapsule, film, nano liposome and nano particle, aiming to improve its stability, dispersion and bioavailability in complex food systems. In addition, research progress on the application of astaxanthin in various food products, such as whole grains, seafood and poultry products, is summarized. In view of the characteristics of astaxanthin, such as insolubility in water and sensitivity to light, heat, oxygen and humidity, the main research trends of astaxanthin-loaded systems with high encapsulation efficiency, good stability, good taste masking effect and cost-effectiveness are also pointed out. Finally, the possible sensory effects of adding astaxanthin to food aresummarized, providing theoretical support for the development of astaxanthin-related food.

Factors and Perceptions Associated with Post-Pandemic Food Sourcing and Dietary Patterns among Urban Corner Store Customers in Baltimore, Maryland.

Diet-related disease is rising, disproportionately affecting minority communities in which small food retail stores swamp supermarkets. Barriers to healthy food access were exacerbated by the pandemic. We examined the following: (1) individual- and household-level factors in a sample of Baltimore community members who regularly shop at corner stores and (2) how these factors are associated with indicators of dietary quality. Cross-sectional data were collected using an online survey to capture sociodemographics, anthropometrics, and food sourcing, spending, and consumption patterns. Concurrent quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in Stata 18 and ATLAS.ti. This study was set in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The participants included adults (n = 127) living or working in Baltimore who identified as regular customers of their neighborhood corner store. The respondents were majority Black and low-income, with a high prevalence of food insecurity (62.2%) and overweight/obesity (66.9%). Most (82.76%) shopped in their neighborhood corner store weekly. One-third (33.4%) of beverage calories were attributed to sugar-sweetened beverages, and few met the recommended servings for fruits and vegetables or fiber (27.2% and 10.4%, respectively). Being Black and not owning a home were associated with lower beverage and fiber intake, and not owning a home was also associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake. Food insecurity was associated with higher beverage intake, while WIC enrollment was associated with higher fruit and vegetable and fiber intakes. Open-ended responses contextualized post-pandemic food sourcing and consumption in this setting. This paper helps characterize the consumers of a complex urban food system. The findings will inform future strategies for consumer-engaged improvement of local food environments.

Chemical spaces of taste and odor

AbstractThe thesis provides a draft map of the chemical space of chemosensory active molecules in foods and enables, by application of cheminformatics approaches, the deduction of general principles of raw material influence and processing on the sensory perception of complex food systems. The summarized data supports the development of analytical methods targeting the efficient quantitation of key compounds, provides a database for screening of chemosensory receptor agonists and facilitates the optimization of in‐silico tools for prediction of receptor activation determining sensory quality and biological function.

Texture of emulsion-filled pea protein-potato starch gels: Effect of processing conditions and composition

From a physicochemical perspective, foods like vegan cheese and meat analogues are complex multicomponent gels. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of processing conditions and composition on the textural properties of multicomponent gels containing starch, pea protein isolate (PPI) and emulsion droplets. Mechanical properties were measured, and structural analysis was carried with CLSM and SEM. In the case of particle gels prepared with maize starch (MS), a higher shearing speed decreased Young's modulus, fracture stress and fracture strain due to break up of the starch granules. In polymer gels prepared with potato starch (PS), structure and mechanical properties were not much affected by processing conditions. The addition of emulsion droplets increased the Young's modulus of MS gels and decreased that of PS gels. In PS gels, the fracture stress decreased further for smaller oil droplets. The addition of emulsion droplets was also found to decrease adhesiveness, cohesiveness and chewiness, regardless of the matrix structure. With protein addition into PS gels, an increase in Young's modulus and a decrease in fracture strain were observed. These results show that processing conditions and composition can be used to modulate the physical properties of complex food systems.

Antioxidant benefits of Ecklonia radiata algae phenolic extracts in food grade omega-3 delivery systems

Seaweed phenolics are an attractive, sustainable source of natural phenolic antioxidants, and have potential for stabilising complex food and feed systems. In the present study, three seaweeds collected along the Victoria coastline of Australia were extracted and screened for phenolic content and antioxidant activity. A 70/30 ethanol/water extract of Ecklonia radiata was selected and major phenolics were characterised using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, with eckol-type phlorotannins being the identified as the most abundant in this extract. This Ecklonia radiata extract was able to oxidatively stabilise tuna oil-in-water emulsion at low concentrations but showed some pro-oxidant effects in at higher concentrations in both emulsions and microcapsules omega-3 delivery systems. Ecklonia radiata phenolics are useful for oxidative stabilisation but results indicate that phenolic levels need to be specifically tailored for each application, particularly for complex food delivery systems.

Reclaiming the Xhotsa: climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration via the return of Sumas Lake

Sumas Lake (Xhotsa), located in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada, was the heart of Semá:th Nation Territory and the epicenter of a complex Indigenous food system. For the Semá:th people, the lake represented life and livelihood. In 1924, the lake was stolen and drained in an instance of land theft that occurred during a nationwide campaign of land dispossession and genocide, decimating an ecology that supported a rich and diverse Indigenous food system and replacing it with a settler food system. A century later, in November 2021 climate change induced flooding caused the lake to return, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of people and causing millions in damages to homes and infrastructure. Since the flood, the response has been a continuation of the status quo to protect settler agricultural lands via increased investment in hard structures that control the flow of water based on assumptions of the predictability of future flow conditions. We offer a missing narrative by bringing together an analysis of Indigenous laws and oral tradition with an assessment of the economic costs of “managed retreat”, defined as the purposeful relocation of people and infrastructure out of harm’s way. We find that the cost of buying out properties in the lakebed and allowing the lake to return is close to half the cost ($1 billion) of maintaining the status quo ($2.4 billion), while facilitating climate adaptation, and restoration of a floodplain ecosystem that supported thriving populations of people, salmon, sturgeon, ducks, and food and medicinal plants– including many species which are now endangered. Returning Sumas Lake by centering ‘Water Back’ as a climate resiliency solution, enacts both food systems and ecological reconciliation, addressing the harms caused by the loss of the lake to the Semá:th People that is still felt to this day. In a time when climate change induced flooding is predicted to increase, this study demonstrates how the inclusion of Indigenous laws and knowledges are critical to the development of solutions toward a more sustainable and just future.

Using Novel Multimethod Evaluation Approaches to Understand Complex Food System Interventions: Insights from a Supply Chain Intervention Intended to Improve Nutrition

BackgroundA “food system” approach to improve diet quality by intervening within areas such as food supply chains is gaining prominence. However, evidence of such interventions’ impact, and understanding of appropriate methods to evaluate them, is lacking. ObjectivesWe present an impact evaluation of an intervention that aimed to increase consumption of nutritious foods by supporting food-producing firms in Kenya. In doing so, we demonstrate how multiple methods, including those from other disciplines, can be used to evaluate a complex food systems intervention. MethodsFour methods focused on food-producing firms and their management, including a survey of intervention participants (n = 83 individuals), a “laboratory-in-the-field” experiment (n = 83 individuals), baseline/endline data on firm performance (n = 71 firms), and semistructured interviews (n = 19 firms). Three methods focused on consumers in neighborhoods targeted by a supported firm: a randomized field experiment tested effects of making a supported product exhaustively available on consumers’ purchases and consumption (n = 1295 consumers); 3 discrete choice experiments (n = 1295 consumers) tested factors influencing consumers’ willingness to pay for foods with relevant characteristics. ResultsAmong firms, we saw suggestive evidence of increased networking and business relationships, while laboratory-in-the-field experiments indicated the intervention might foster cooperation among participants. Qualitative interviews suggested that the intervention enabled firms to increase production, improve management, increase revenues, and lower costs. Baseline/endline data confirmed a positive effect only on the launch of new products and hiring workers. In the field experiment, consumption of the supported product increased in areas where it was made available relative to a control group, but this did not increase overall consumption of the food type or dietary diversity. ConclusionsResults showed positive signs of the intervention improving firm-level outcomes but limited impact on consumers’ diet quality. The evaluation also demonstrates how diverse methods can be used to evaluate complex interventions.

The Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies on Food Security: A Global Perspective

Climate change poses a serious threat to the agricultural sector due to its nature of being dependent on natural conditions. As a result, food productivity decreases by threatening global food security. This study aims to analyze the impact of climate change adaptation adopted by farmers on food security by providing impressions and perspectives from related studies. According previous studies, the variables of gender, education, family size, land size, livestock ownership, agricultural extension, access to credit, and climate information are factors that have a positive influence on farmers' decisions to adopt climate change strategies. Meanwhile, the age variable has a negative influence on farmers' decisions to adpot it. In addition, the results also show that the adaptation of climate change strategies has a significant impact on food security. Farmers will gain more benefits and beneficial impacts from implementing climate change adaptation that limits the negative impacts of climate change on household livelihoods in an effort to alleviate food insecurity. This study provides important insights for future research on developing climate-resilient approaches to address complex global food system challenges.

The degradation and antioxidant capacity of anthocyanins from eggplant peels in the context of complex food system under thermal processing

A model of complex food system composed of dietary fiber, protein, starch (3/2/2), added with anthocyanins extracted from purple eggplant peels was constructed to investigate impacts of thermal treatments (including steaming, boiling, microwave and frying) on the degradation and antioxidant capacity of anthocyanins. The content of anthocyanins was reduced by 84.48% under frying treatment (185 ± 5 °C), and the degradation of anthocyanins was in line with second-order kinetics as with microwave treatment (700 W). Under boiling and steaming conditions, the degradation of anthocyanins followed first-order kinetics. Additionally, the antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the contents of total anthocyanins and polyphenols. During thermal treatments, anthocyanins were mainly decomposed into gallic acid, phloroglucinaldehyde, and 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (frying), in which phloroglucinaldehyde could be further isomerized into phloroglucinic acid. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) also supported that frying showed the most robust effect on influencing the structure of anthocyanins during these four thermal treatments.

Effects of fibrillation combined with glycation by different chain length sugars on structural and functional properties of soybean protein

The key objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fibrillation combined with glycation of soybean protein isolate (SPI) on the protein structure and functional properties. SPI fibrils alone, glycated proteins and glycated fibrils with different chain lengths (glucose–G, maltose–M and dextran–D) were prepared and characterized by spectroscopy and microscopy methods. The results of the O-phthalaldehyde assay, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and fluorescent advanced glycation endproducts indicated the degree of glycation. The thioflavin T fluorescence assay, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results demonstrated that the fibril morphology improved, and more flexible and aggregated fibrils were produced after glycation, further improving the protein functional properties. With EAI and ESI values of 37.31 m2/g and 33.80%, respectively, the emulsifying properties of SPI fibrils glycated by dextran were higher than the others. Foam properties and antioxidant activity were highest for the fibrils glycated by glucose. These results are of scientific significance for in-depth understanding and reasonable regulation of protein functional properties for industrial production in a complex food system.

High-school students’ demonstration of systems thinking in the context of sustainable food systems

ABSTRACT Systems thinking abilities are needed to help solve complex food systems problems. However, high-school instruction does not typically support students in developing these abilities, and most students have limited knowledge and awareness of food and its significance. In this study, we used sustainable food systems as the context for the learning experience to offer complex and relatable content to students. We used a qualitative case study design to describe how students demonstrated systems thinking during the learning experience. Participants in this case study were six high-school students located in the suburban area of Indiana. They participated in the learning experience using self-directed lessons, worksheets, reflections, real-world examples, and hands-on activities. We collected data from pre- and posttest assignments and interviews and analyzed data using qualitative coding techniques. Findings suggested that systems thinking is a combination of abilities in three domains: describing a system, understanding a system, and viewing a system, rather than one domain or hierarchical. Students extensively explained about a food system’s complexity, wholeness, changeability, cyclic nature, and feedback loops in temporal and spatial dimensions using multiple perspectives and making connections with other systems. We also shared the attributes of systems thinkers and the model for practical implications.

Characterization of construction and physical properties of composite oleogel based on single low molecular weight wax and polymer ethyl cellulose

The combination of oleogels has recently begun to receive scientific attention because a single oleogels may not adequately compensate for the multiple roles of solid fat in complex food systems. In this study, corn oleogels were prepared from candelilla wax (CLW), beeswax (BW), carnauba wax (CW), and ethyl cellulose (EC) with different mass ratios, and their physicochemical properties were characterized in terms of heat, rheology and microstructure. The strength of oleogel was CLEOs > BEOs > CWEOs. With the increase of the amount of wax in the oleogelators, the color L* value, the ability to bind oil, the melting temperature, the hardness and the viscosity and strength of the oleogels were increased. Microscopic analysis showed that the gel network was formed based on the crystallization and self-organization of gel molecules, and the two oleogelators showed independent crystallization behavior in the oleogel. Furthermore, the FTIR spectra showed that noncovalent bonds of van der Waals forces played a dominant role in the composite oleogel network formed through physical entanglement as compared to hydrogen bonds. XRD results showed higher lateral packing of molecular layers in oleogels prepared from combined EC and wax compared to oleogels prepared from a single oleogelator. This study provides a reference for the development of a new composite oleogel system.

Integration of cloud-based molecular networking and docking for enhanced umami peptide screening from Pixian douban

This study presents an innovative cloud-based approach, using Pixian Douban, a well-known Chinese fermented seasoning, as a case study, to improve the identification of umami peptides and explore their interactions with the T1R1/T1R3 receptor. A feature-based molecular networking method was utilized to rapidly identify a total of eighteen peptides, including seven previously unrecorded ones. Notably, the umami threshold of QIVK in an aqueous solution was determined to be 0.3215 mmol/L, surpassing the majority of peptides reported in the past three years. Molecular docking analysis further revealed the strong binding of QIVK to T1R3 receptor residues through hydrogen bonds, as well as interactions via salt bridges and electrostatic attractions. As a result, this research significantly contributes to the efficient screening of umami peptides and the elucidation of the molecular basis of umami sensory perception in complex food systems.

Antioxidant properties of bovine liver protein hydrolysates and their practical application in biphasic systems.

The influence of protein hydrolysate produced from bovine liver protein hydrolysate (LPH) by enzymatic hydrolysis, using Alcalase/Protamex (1:1), on lipid dispersions was investigated. LPH production was optimized to maximize the antioxidant activity (at 45, 50, and 55 °C for 12, 18, and 24 h). Different concentrations of LPHs (1, 3, and 5 mg/g) were added to emulsions and to liposomes. Lipid oxidation level and particle size of the lipid dispersions were monitored for 14 days of storage at 25 °C. Radical scavenging activity and reducing power were the highest at 45 °C after 24 h of hydrolysis. Electrophoresis pattern showed that the antioxidant activity was arising from the peptides with molecular weight around 10 kDa. Lipid oxidation occurred more rapidly in samples without LPH during storage. In emulsions, lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance and conjugated diene values were measured with increasing concentrations of LPH at day 14. Accordingly, particle size of the samples containing 5 mg/g of LPH was smaller than those of other groups. Phase separation was observed only in lecithin emulsion without LPH at day 14. The use of LPH in liposome limited the lipid oxidation and maintained the size of the particles independently from the concentration. This study highlights the potential applications of animal by-products as natural antioxidants in complex food systems. The results demonstrate that LPH, particularly when hydrolyzed at optimized conditions, can effectively inhibit lipid oxidation. The findings suggest that biphasic systems incorporating LPH have promising prospects for enhancing the stability and quality of food products. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Edible oleogels as solid fat alternatives: A review from patent perspectives

AbstractOleogel technology has grown into a substantial research area over the past decade and development through a body of scientific patents and publications. Despite many exciting improvements in structural mechanisms and system development, promoting this technology from a laboratory study into an industrial production is not an easy task. Successful commercialization is predicated on the oleogel being able to adequately replace the various roles played by conventional plastic fats in complex food systems. To this end, certain inevitable limitations, such as poor plasticity, low structural stability, and intricate production procedures, need to be addressed first. This review gives the freedom‐spaces available for product developments and provides a deeper understanding for researchers in the oleogel technology combining both sides of patents and literatures. An insight analysis regarding research trends, hot topics, influences, and technology life cycle of current inventions has been conducted. Current structural strategies, formulations, and implementation scales are also discussed. Finally, future perspectives on the technology are highlighted.

Insight into the interaction mechanism between mulberry polyphenols and β-lactoglobulin

The interaction mechanism of components in complex food systems is one of the hot topics in food science. Both protein and polyphenols co-exists in many foods, but their interaction mechanism is very difficult to elucidate. In this paper, the interaction between mulberry polyphenols (MP) and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) was investigated based on individual phenolic ratios in MP to explore impact of MP on β-LG. The results showed that the effects of MP on β-LG could be reproduced by simulated MP (sMP) which was composed of the main individual phenolics in MP. MP, sMP and individual phenolics interacted with β-LG through static quenching, in which MP, sMP, cyanindin-3-rutinoside (C3R) and epicatechin (EC) bound to β-LG via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force; cyanindin-3-glucose (C3G) and p-coumaric acid (PCA) bound to β-LG via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions; but quercetin (Q), rutin (R), protocatechuic acid (PA) and pelargonidin-3-glucosid (Pg3G) bound to β-LG mainly through hydrophobic interaction. Addition of MP, sMP or most individual phenolics of MP significantly increased the particle size of β-LG. C3G, C3R, PCA, Q and R, with varying degrees of influence, markedly changed secondary structure of β-LG by affecting the microenvironment of amino acids residues. Furthermore, R, PCA, EC and Pg3G induced the transition from β-fold to α-helix of β-LG, making the protein more stable. The contribution of each individual phenolic to the interaction between MP and β-LG was mainly dose-dependent and also influenced by their chemical structures.

Investigation on the interaction mechanisms for stability of preheated whey protein isolate with anthocyanins from blueberry

Proteins and anthocyanins coexist in complex food systems. This research mainly studied the steady-state protective design and mechanism of the preheated protein against anthocyanins. Multispectral and molecular dynamics are utilized to illustrate the interaction mechanism between preheated whey protein isolate (pre-WPI) and anthocyanins. The pre-WPI could effectively protect the stability of anthocyanins, and the effect was better than that of the natural whey protein isolate (NW). Among them, NW after preheating treatment at 55 °C showed better protection against anthocyanin stability. Fluorescence studies indicated that pre-WPI there existed a solid binding affinity and static quenching for malvidin-3-galactoside (M3G). Multispectral data showed a significant variation in the secondary structure of pre-WPI. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation selects AMBER18 as the protein force field, and the results showed that hydrogen bonding participated as an applied force. Compared with NW, pre-WPI could better wrap anthocyanins and avoid damage to the external environment due to tightening of the pockets. Protein protects anthocyanins from degradation, and this protective effect is influenced by the preheating temperature of protein and the structure of protein. On the basis of the above results, it is possible to pinpoint the interaction mechanism between preheated proteins and anthocyanins.

A novel AgNPs/MOF substrate-based SERS sensor for high-sensitive on-site detection of wheat gluten

Gluten, known as the major allergen in wheat, has gained increasing concerns in industrialized countries, resulting in an urgent need for accurate, high-sensitive, and on-site detection of wheat gluten in complex food systems. Herein, we proposed a silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/metal-organic framework (MOF) substrate-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor for the high-sensitive on-site detection of wheat gluten. The detection occurred on the newly in-situ synthesized AgNPs/MOF-modified SERS substrate, providing an enhancement factor (EF) of 1.89 × 105. Benefitting from the signal amplification function of AgNPs/MOF and the superiority of SERS, this sensor represented high sensitivity performance and a wide detection range from 1 × 10-15 mol/L to 2 × 10-6 mol/L with a detection limit of 1.16 × 10-16 mol/L, which allowed monitoring the trace of wheat gluten in complex food system without matrix interference. This reliable sandwich SERS sensor may provide a promising platform for high-sensitive, accurate, and on-site detection of allergens in the field of food safety.

Determinants of dietary diversity and drivers of food choice among low-income consumers in urban Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Rapid urbanisation affects lifestyle and eating habits, predominantly causing a dietary shift that adds challenges to meet dietary recommendations within a complex food system. This research investigated dietary diversity and food choice drivers among low-income consumers in three urban settlements (Nairobi, Kenya; Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and Lilongwe, Malawi, representing rapid, moderate and slow urban growth patterns, respectively) as a first step towards improving diets across cultures and geographies. Mixed methods data collection was employed for this study. Qualitative methods such as rapid foodscape appraisal workshops and food stories in selected low-income settlements in Nairobi, Bulawayo and Lilongwe were utilised to collect information on the food environments (food balances, infrastructure, safety, policies and institutions). Quantitative data such as socio-demographic characteristics and dietary diversity were collected via structured questionnaires using Cognitive Edge's SenseMaker® (n = 890, 450 and 440 for Nairobi, Bulawayo and Lilongwe, respectively). The dietary intake of respondents was assessed using a 24-h recall, which was then converted to the food group diversity score (FGDS). Different levels of compounded stress affected dietary diversity and quality, including high food prices, concerns about sanitation and hygiene and the role of food standards regulation bodies. The mean FGDS across all locations was lower than the recommended cut-off of 5 (4.5, 2.8 and 2.6 across Nairobi, Zimbabwe and Lilongwe, respectively). Additionally, in Nairobi, there were gender differences in diet diversity, with men having a higher dietary diversity score than women (4.6% vs. 4.3%; p = 0.004). The majority of respondents in Lilongwe (65%) reported price as the most important driver of food choice, compared to 38% in Nairobi and 42% in Bulawayo. Our observation of poor-quality diets provides further evidence of the need for food policies that are cognisant of the nutrition and health of the growing population of the urban poor. Such policies would focus on lowering the costs of nutritious foods as well as ensuring food safety within the complex food system observed in the urban low-income environment.