Formulation Of Functional Foods Research Articles

Formation and Application of Starch–Polyphenol Complexes: Influencing Factors and Rapid Screening Based on Chemometrics

Understanding the nuanced interplay between plant polyphenols and starch could have significant implications. For example, it could lead to the development of tailor-made starches for specific applications, from bakinag and brewing to pharmaceuticals and bioplastics. In addition, this knowledge could contribute to the formulation of functional foods with lower glycemic indexes or improved nutrient delivery. Variations in the complexes can be attributed to differences in molecular weight, structure, and even the content of the polyphenols. In addition, the unique structural characteristics of starches, such as amylose/amylopectin ratio and crystalline density, also contribute to the observed effects. Processing conditions and methods will always alter the formation of complexes. As the type of starch/polyphenol can have a significant impact on the formation of the complex, the selection of suitable botanical sources of starch/polyphenols has become a focus. Spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics is a convenient and accurate method for rapidly identifying starches/polyphenols and screening for the desired botanical source. Understanding these relationships is crucial for optimizing starch-based systems in various applications, from food technology to pharmaceutical formulations.

Nutritional and Phytochemical Properties of Morula (Sclerocarya birrea), Moretologa (Ximenia americana), Mowana (Adansonia digitata L.) and Mogose (Bauhinia petersiana): Indigenous Plants in Botswana

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to struggle with food insecurity, which has been made worse by issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. In the African continent, plants have been used for food and medicine for many generations. Morula (Sclerocarya birrea), Moretologa (Ximenia americana), Mowana (Adansonia digitata L.), and Mogose (Bauhinia petersiana) are among the most consumed indigenous plants in Botswana. The objective of this study was to analyse nutritional and phytochemical profiles of these indigenous plants. The results showed that protein content ranged between 1.80% (Morula) and 25.54% (Mogose). The highest fat content of 14.29% was observed in Mogose seeds. Mowana proved to be rich in calcium compared to other plants. Manganese was detected only in Mogose samples. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of various phytochemicals. Moretologa proved to be a good source of beta carotene (419.33 μg/100 g). The plants contained different amounts of ascorbic acid; 163.83, 141.59, 24.78, and 3.00 mg/100 g were recorded in Mowana, morula, Moretologa, and Mogose, respectively. Total phenols ranged between 7.98 mg/100 g (Moretologa) to 14.3 mg/100 g (Mowana). The four indigenous plants proved to have good nutritional qualities and their increased consumption may contribute positively towards efforts to attain food security in Botswana. Additionally, the plants are good sources of phytochemicals, and they may aid in the discovery of novel drugs and medicines and be useful in formulation of functional foods.

Relationship between dietary fiber content and prebiotic potential of polysaccharides from the seaweeds of the North west coast of India

The macroalgae are a sustainable bioresource that can be harnessed for their functional food and nutraceutical applications. This study characterized the biochemical composition and bioactive potential of natural biological macromolecules, such as macroalgal polysaccharides extracted using a green, aqueous extraction process. The in-vitro antioxidant and antiglycemic activity of these polysaccharides were evaluated using model, free radical and antiglycemic compounds. The prebiotic potential of macroalgal polysaccharides were analysed based on their ability to promote the growth of two potential probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. bulgaricus and suppress the growth of enteric bacteria, Escherichia coli. Among the polysaccharides studied, the brown algal polysaccharide MPS8 MPS9 and MPS10 exhibited good antioxidant, antiglycemic and prebiotic activity. Based on infrared spectroscopy, the functional groups sulfation and carboxylation were identified in potential polysaccharides. The monosaccharide composition in the bioactive polysaccharides was determined using High Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography Pulse Amperometric detector (HPAEC-PAD). These bioactive polysaccharides were fractionated using ion exchange chromatography to purify it and further characterized using gel permeation chromatography and NMR spectroscopy. The results these polysaccharides are mainly composed of fucose and glucose which is due to the fucoidan and laminarin, respectively. Such macromolecules with high dietary fiber content and bioactivity are in global demand as functional food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations.

Antioxidant polypeptides derived from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L) Mill sp.) by enzymatic hydrolysis

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L) Mill sp.) seeds are rich sources of protein in the legume family and their consumption has been associated with the prevention of noncommunicated diseases, which is attributable to their content of bioactive components. Antioxidant protein hydrolysates were produced from pigeon pea protein isolate (PPI) by enzymatic hydrolysis using pancreatin and flavourzyme. The hydrolysates were analyzed for their physicochemical, molecular weight, amino acid composition, and in vitro antioxidant activities. The molecular weights of polypeptides in the hydrolysates were 8, 20, 25 and 48 kDa, which were determined after pancreatin or flavourzyme hydrolysis of the protein isolate for 4 h. Pancreatin-hydrolyzed pigeon pea protein (PPHP) contained high hydrophobic amino acids, especially isoleucine, leucine and valine, which were related to the high content of aromatic amino acids. The hydrolysates obtained from flavourzyme hydrolysis of pigeon pea proteins (PPHF) presented significantly higher capacities to scavenge ABTS˙+ and reduce Fe3 + better than that of PPI, while the PPI exhibited strong DPPH scavenging (98.4 mg trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity). The results indicated that the partial hydrolysis for PPI provided medium to high molecular weight of peptides. Therefore, PPHF could be a promising source of bioactive peptides and a potential ingredient for the formulation of functional foods against oxidative stress

Relationships among Structure, Physicochemical Properties and In Vitro Digestibility of Starches from Ethiopian Food Barley Varieties.

Studying diversity in local barley varieties can help advance novel uses for the grain. Therefore, starch was isolated from nine Ethiopian food barley varieties to determine starch structural, pasting, thermal, and digestibility characteristics, as well as their inter-relationships. The amylose content in the varieties significantly varied from 24.5 to 30.3%, with a coefficient of variation of 6.1%. The chain length distributions also varied significantly, and fa, fb1, fb2, and fb3 ranged from 26.3 to 29.0, 48.0 to 49.7, 15.0 to 15.9, and 7.5 to 9.5%, respectively. Significant variations were also exhibited in absorbance peak ratios, as well as thermal, pasting, and in vitro digestibility properties, with the latter two parameters showing the greatest diversity. Higher contents of amylose and long amylopectin fractions contributed to higher gelatinization temperatures and viscosities and lower digestibility. Structural characteristics showed strong relationships with viscosity, thermal, and in vitro digestibility properties. Cross 41/98 and Dimtu varieties are more suitable in functional food formulations and for bakery products. These results might inspire further studies to suggest target-based starch modifications and new product development.

Isolation and Probiotic Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria from <i>Kindirmou</i> and <i>Pendidam</i> in Adamawa Region (Cameroon)

The microorganisms intended for use as probiotics in food formulation should exert health benefit effects and be regarded as safe for animals and humans uses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from <i>pendidam</i> and <i>kindirmou</i>, two traditional fermented milks (TFM) produced in the Adamawa region (Cameroon). Twenty-five samples (<i>pendidam</i>: 13 and <i>kindirmou</i>: 12) were randomly collected in five markets of Ngaoundere (n = 17 samples) and Meiganga (n = 8 samples). These samples were screened for their antimicrobial activity, and nine TFMs were retained. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from these samples and their antimicrobial activity was already evaluated. Based on the inhibition zone, twenty-two LABs were retained and examined <i>in vitro</i> for potential probiotic properties based on their low pH tolerance, resistance to bile salts, tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal juices, hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, gelatinase and hemolytic activities. The outcome of these parameters studied was used as input data for a principal component analysis (PCA) to select the most promising isolate, and the six potential probiotic isolates were characterized through a biochemical profile. The characterized isolates have been identified as <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus casei,</i> and <i>Lactococcus lactis</i>. Traditional fermented milks contain LAB with important properties that can be utilized in the formulation of functional foods.

Functional triacylglycerols from microalgae and their use in the formulation of functional foods—Review

Consumers increased demand for food products that promote health has compelled the food processing industry to develop food products that not only satiate hunger but also aid in the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Microalgae have emerged as a potential source of functional components like triacylglycerols containing essential fatty acids that could be used in the formulation of functional food products. These components help prevent non-communicable diseases due to their inherent characteristics like anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, etc. The microalgae are concentrated sources of triacylglycerols containing essential fatty acids and are considered a potential replacer for fish oil in providing these functional ingredients also well accepted by the vegan. This review aims to cover the literature on the triacylglycerol content of microalgae with a focus on the functional triacylglycerol, the fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol extracted from different microalgal biomass, innovative extraction technologies for intensified extraction, the potential use of triacylglycerols from microalgae in the formulation of functional food products. Further, the present constraints and future prospectus in using microalgal triacylglycerol in functional food are also discussed.

Encapsulated polyphenols in functional food production

Polyphenols are present as nutrient components in many functional food formulations. However, their bioavailability is quite low, and they tend to degrade under extreme technological conditions, e.g., heating, pH, etc. Moreover, polyphenols are known for their specific bitter taste. As a result, a large amount of polyphenols spoils the sensory properties of the finished product. Encapsulation seems a prospective solution to this problem. This article provides a comprehensive review of scientific publications on various methods of polyphenol encapsulation.
 The review covered publications registered in PubMed, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Elsevier, eLIBRARY.RU, and Cyberleninka in 2002–2023 with a focus on original research articles published after 2012. The search involved such keywords as polyphenols, encapsulation, flavonoids, delivery systems, and functional products. 
 Encapsulating materials are made of organic or inorganic substances, as well as of their combinations. Mineral salts delay the contact between polyphenols and taste buds. However, they are not resistant enough to gastric juice. In this respect, organic matrices are more effective. Carbohydrates protect active molecules from degradation in the stomach. Liposomes increase the bioavailability of polyphenols. Milk or whey proteins also proved quite effective for a number of reasons. First, they mask the astringent taste, which makes it possible to include more polyphenols in functional food formulations. Second, the resulting product is fortified with valuable proteins and essential amino acids. Third, high concentrations of polyphenols possess enough antioxidant properties to increase the shelf-life.
 Polyphenol encapsulation is an effective method of functional product design, especially in the sphere of foods made for dietary nutrition, sports, preventive diets, etc.

Nutritional Characteristics, Health Impact, and Applications of Kefir.

A global epidemiological shift has been observed in recent decades, characterized by an increase in age-related disorders, notably non-communicable chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. An appreciable causal link between changes in the gut microbiota and the onset of these maladies has been recognized, offering an avenue for effective management. Kefir, a probiotic-enriched fermented food, has gained significance in this setting due to its promising resource for the development of functional or value-added food formulations and its ability to reshape gut microbial composition. This has led to increasing commercial interest worldwide as it presents a natural beverage replete with health-promoting microbes and several bioactive compounds. Given the substantial role of the gut microbiota in human health and the etiology of several diseases, we conducted a comprehensive synthesis covering a total of 33 investigations involving experimental animal models, aimed to elucidate the regulatory influence of bioactive compounds present in kefir on gut microbiota and their potential in promoting optimal health. This review underscores the outstanding nutritional properties of kefir as a central repository of bioactive compounds encompassing micronutrients and amino acids and delineates their regulatory effects at deficient, adequate, and supra-nutritional intakes on the gut microbiota and their broader physiological consequences. Furthermore, an investigation of putative mechanisms that govern the regulatory effects of kefir on the gut microbiota and its connections with various human diseases was discussed, along with potential applications in the food industry.

Incorporation of spray‐dried encapsulated bioactive peptides from coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) meal by‐product in bread formulation

AbstractThis study aimed to stabilize and mask the bitterness of peptides obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of coconut‐meal protein with maltodextrin (MD) and maltodextrin‐pectin (MD‐P) as carriers via spray‐drying. Essential (~35%), hydrophobic (~32%), antioxidant (~15%), and bitter (~45%) amino acids comprised a significant fraction of the peptide composition (with a degree of hydrolysis of 33%). The results indicated that the peptide's production efficiency, physical and functional properties, and hygroscopicity improved after spray‐drying. Morphological features of free peptides (fragile and porous structures), spray‐dried with MD (wrinkled with indented structures), and MD‐P combination (relatively spherical particles with smooth surfaces) were influenced by the process type and feed composition. Adding free and microencapsulated peptides to the bread formula (2% W/W) caused changes in moisture content (35%–43%), water activity (0.89–0.94), textural properties (1–1.6 N), specific volume (5.5–6 cm3/g), porosity (18%–27%), and color indices of the fortified product. MD‐P encapsulated peptides in bread fortification resulted in thermal stability and increased antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging: 4.5%–39.4% and 31.6%–46.8%, respectively). MD‐P (as a carrier) could maintain sensory characteristics and mask the bitterness of peptides in the fortified bread. The results of this research can be used to produce functional food and diet formulations.

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) seeds: An exceptional source of tocotrienols

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) are rich in beneficial phytochemicals and are valuable ingredients in the formulation of functional foods and pharmaceutical products, contributing to improved human health and well-being. Nevertheless, cranberry seed chemical composition is still scarcely investigated. Therefore, in the current study, tocochromanol (tocopherol (T) and tocotrienol (T3)) profile variance with respect to genotypes and harvest seasons were investigated. Tocochromanols were extracted by using a standard saponification protocol, as well as an environmentally friendlier and more rapid alternative extraction method, in the seeds of eight cranberry cultivars from two harvest seasons. γ-T3 constituted 87 % of the tocochromanols found in cranberry seeds, while the remaining 13 % were as follows: α-T3 (7 %), δ-T3 (3 %), and γ-T (3 %). Year, cultivar, and their interaction have a significant impact on the content of tocochromanols in cranberry seeds. Tocochromanol concentration varies significantly between cultivars, but is relatively stable over different harvest seasons. Concentration did not significantly differ between the standard saponification protocol and the rapid, environmentally friendlier method. Thereby, the present study shows that the simple and environmentally conscious/friendlier approach is feasible for the extraction of tocochromanols from cranberry seeds with comparable recovery, repeatability and reproducibility, to the saponification protocol.

Compound collagen peptide powder improves skin photoaging by reducing oxidative stress and activating TGF-β1/Smad pathway.

Fish collagen peptide (FCP) has been extensively investigated as a natural product that can combat photoaging; however, its efficacy is limited by its singular composition. Compound collagen peptide powder (CCPP) is a novel functional food formulation that exhibits photoprotective properties and comprises FCP and a blend of natural botanical ingredients. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of CCPP and its molecular mechanism. CCPP had a low molecular weight, facilitating its efficient absorption, and was abundant in amino acids, total polyphenols, and total flavonoids. The results of invivo studies demonstrated that CCPP exhibited significant efficacy in reducing skin wrinkles, enhancing the contents of water and oil in the skin, and ameliorating histopathological alterations in mice. The results of invitro studies demonstrated that CCPP effectively mitigated photoaging in human skin fibroblasts by attenuating oxidative stress and promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. Moreover, we clearly demonstrated that the TGF β1/Smad pathway was involved in the promotion of ECM synthesis and cell proliferation by CCPP in human skin fibroblasts. These findings suggest that, compared with single collagen, CCPP has a more comprehensive range of antiphotoaging properties.

Sequential Extraction and Characterization of Essential Oil, Flavonoids, and Pectin from Industrial Orange Waste.

Orange is one of the primary fruits processed into juice and other products worldwide, leading to a vast amount of waste accumulation. Such waste has been considered as an attractive candidate for upcycling to obtain bioactive components remaining. The present study investigated the extraction of essential oil (EO), flavonoids, and pectin from industrial orange waste with a holistic approach. To maximize EO yield and d-limonene concentration, hydrodistillation (HD) conditions were selected to be 5.5 mL water/g solid for 180 min. Remaining solids were further used for flavonoid extraction where conventional solvent, sequential ultrasound + solvent, and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UE) were applied. UE applied for 50 min with 120 mL solvent/g solid yielded the highest total phenolic (TPCs) and total flavonoid contents (TFCs), antioxidant capacity, and hesperidin and neohesperidin concentrations. In terms of TPC, TFC, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity, both EO and flavonoid fractions demonstrated moderate to high bioactivity. At the final step, ethanol precipitation was applied to obtain the pectin that was solubilized in hot water during HD and it was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, degree of esterification, and galacturonic acid content. Practical application: to ensure utilization in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, this study presents a combined method to obtain several value-added compounds from industrial orange waste. Bioactive EO and flavonoids obtained could have applications in functional food, supplements, or cosmetic formulations, whereas extracted pectin can be used in many formulated foods and drugs.

Isolation and assessment of novel exopolysaccharide-producing Weissella confusa ABRIIFBI-96 isolated from an Iranian homemade dairy fermented food “Tof” as a main starter culture for probiotic fermented milk

This study focused on evaluating lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates for their probiotic characteristics and safety, as well as potential as a primary starter culture in probiotic fermented milk production. Ten LAB isolates underwent in vitro testing to assess their probiotic potential. While these isolates were susceptible to ten antibiotics, none of them showed sensitivity to vancomycin. Particularly, the isolates, especially ABRIIFBI-96, demonstrated substantial resistance to bile salts (80.48 ± 0.37%) and low pH (82.05 ± 0.1%), along with strong adhesion ability to Caco-2 cells (22.59 ± 0.36%). Notably, isolate ABRIIFBI-96 exhibited impressive auto-aggregation and co-aggregation capabilities (33.45 ± 0.36 and 28.66 ± 0.4, respectively) and had the highest cholesterol-reducing capability (35.63 ± 0.64%) without any hemolytic activity. Furthermore, isolate ABRIIFBI-96 demonstrated robust bile salt hydrolase activity with both glycolic and taurocholic tested bile salts. It exhibited inhibitory activity against all tested pathogens, establishing its significant probiotic potential and suitability for incorporation into functional food formulations. The results were highly promising, as the use of isolate ABRIIFBI-96 reduced fermentation time to just 10 h, and the microbial count in the final products ensured their probiotic activity even after 28 days of storage (with a reduction of 0.899 log CFU mL−1).

Spray-drying stabilization of oleaster-seed bioactive peptides within biopolymers: Pan-bread formulation and bitterness-masking

In this study, oleaster seed hydrolysates (OSH) were prepared using different enzymes (Alcalase, trypsin, pancreatin, and pepsin). As a result, OSH generated by Alcalase was chosen for microencapsulation because it displayed the highest nutritional, biological, techno-functional, and antibacterial activities. The impact of spray-drying encapsulation using various biopolymeric carriers (Maltodextrin (MD), combination of MD with gum Arabic (GA), whey protein concentrate (WPC), and Pectin (P)) was then assessed in terms of production yield, physicochemical, functional, and morphological characteristics of the encapsulated OSH. Among the spray-dried samples, the powders produced by MD-WPC had the highest yield (57.40%), lowest hygroscopicity (26.03%), proper radical scavenging for DPPH− (82.8%) and ABTS+ (90.7%), and selected to incorporate into the pan-breads. Indices such as texture, volume, porosity, antioxidant activity, and color (crust and crumb) of breads were affected by the amount of added peptide. Finally, the microencapsulation of peptides in the carrier matrix (3% SD-powders) had a significant effect on bitterness masking of these compounds, maintaining the quality characteristics and sensory perception of pan-breads. The results of this study can be used to produce functional food formulations.

Exploration adhesion properties of Liquorilactobacillus and Lentilactobacillus isolated from two different sources of tepache kefir grains.

Due to the distinctive characteristics of probiotics, it is essential to pinpoint strains originating from diverse sources that prove efficacious in addressing a range of pathologies linked to dysfunction of the intestinal barrier. Nine strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from two different sources of tepache kefir grains (KAS2, KAS3, KAS4, KAS7, KAL4, KBS2, KBS3, KBL1 and KBL3), and were categorized to the genus Lacticaseibacillus, Liquorilactobacillus, and Lentilactobacillus by 16S rRNA gene. Kinetic behaviors of these strains were evaluated in MRS medium, and their probiotic potential was performed: resistance to low pH, tolerance to pepsin, pancreatin, bile salts, antibiotic resistance, hemolytic activity, and adhesion ability. KAS7 strain presented a higher growth rate (0.50 h-1) compared with KAS2 strain, who presented a lower growth rate (0.29 h-1). KBS2 strain was the only strain that survived the in vitro stomach simulation conditions (29.3%). Strain KBL1 demonstrated significantly higher viability (90.6%) in the in vitro intestine simulation conditions. Strain KAS2 demonstrated strong hydrophilic character with chloroform (85.6%) and xylol (57.6%) and a higher percentage of mucin adhesion (87.1%). However, strains KBS2 (84.8%) and KBL3 (89.5%) showed the highest autoaggregation values. In terms of adhesion to the intestinal epithelium in rats, strains KAS2, KAS3 and KAS4 showed values above 80%. The growth of the strains KAS2, KAS3, KAS4, KBS2, and KBL3 was inhibited by cefuroxime, cefotaxime, tetracycline, ampicillin, erythromycin, and cephalothin. Strains KBS2 (41.9% and 33.5%) and KBL3 (42.5% and 32.8%) had the highest co-aggregation values with S. aureus and E. coli. The results obtained in this study indicate that lactic acid bacteria isolated from tepache can be considered as candidates for potentially probiotic bacteria, laying the foundations to evaluate their probiotic functionality in vivo and thus to be used in the formulation of functional foods.

Enzymatic hydrolysis allows an integral valorization of Nannochloropsis oceanica resulting in the production of bioactive peptide extracts and an eicosapentaenoic acid enriched fraction.

Nannochloropsis oceanica is a microalga with relevant protein content, making it a potential source of bioactive peptides. Furthermore, it is also rich in fatty acids, with a special focus on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid mainly obtained from marine animal sources, with high importance for human health. N. oceanica has a rigid cell wall constraining protein extraction, thus hydrolyzing it may help increase its components' extractability. Therefore, a Box-Behnken experimental design was carried out to optimize the hydrolysis. The hydrolysate A showed 67%±0.7% of protein, antioxidant activity of 1166±63.7 μmol TEg-1 of protein and an ACE inhibition with an IC50 of 379 μg proteinmL-1 . The hydrolysate B showed 60%±1.8% of protein, antioxidant activity of 775±13.0 μmol TEg-1 of protein and an ACE inhibition with an IC50 of 239 μg proteinmL-1 . The by-product showed higher yields of total fatty acids when compared to "raw" microalgae, being 5.22% and 1%, respectively. The sustainable developed methodology led to the production of one fraction rich in bioactive peptides and another with interesting EPA content, both with value-added properties with potential to be commercialized as ingredients for different industrial applications, such as functional food, supplements, or cosmetic formulations.

Effect of cooking characteristics, amino acid consistency, and functional properties of composite noodles made from foxtail millet

The research endeavors to address the exigent demand for augmented nutritional efficacy in food commodities, alongside the escalating preference for expedient, superior, and health-conscious alternatives. As a result, the ongoing investigation aims to formulate instant noodles utilizing a composite blend of flours, including foxtail millet (FMF), wheat (WF), mushroom (MF), and rice bran flour (RBF), followed by a subsequent evaluation of the functional properties, cooking attributes, and amino acid composition of the noodles. The investigation considered distinct proportions of composite flour, specifically 0:100:0:0, 60:30:5:5, 50:40:5:5, and 40:50:5:5 (FMF: WF: MF: RBF), designated as treatment T1 (control), T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The results indicate that composite noodles (T2 to T4) demonstrate significantly higher water absorption indexes (ranging from 189.41 % to 197.28 %) compared to the control noodles (T1) composed solely of wheat flour (100 %), signifying an elevated capacity for water retention. Conversely, the oil absorption index of treatment T1 (214.45 %) surpassed that of treatments T2 (210.14 %), T3 (207.47 %), and T4 (200.64 %), respectively. Similarly, treatment T1 exhibited a higher swelling index (16.57 %), whereas T4 demonstrated a significantly lower swelling index with the highest water solubility (4.51 %). Additionally, the inclusion of foxtail millet flour led to a notable reduction in the optimal cooking time, with T4 requiring the shortest duration (3.45 min). Conversely, the cooking yield varied among treatments, with T4 displaying the lowest yield (42.30 %), while T1 exhibited the highest (48.72 %). Furthermore, in the comparison between control and composite noodles, treatment T4 manifested the highest levels of basic, aromatic, aliphatic, and essential amino acids. It also contained a substantial amount of lysine (11 g/100 g), nearly twice as much as treatment T1 (5 g/100 g). Organoleptic assessment indicated a preference for composite noodles (T2 to T4) in terms of taste and flavor. Therefore, fortifying foxtail millet, wheat, mushroom, and rice bran flour in a ratio of (50:40:5:5) for functional food formulations has the potential to enhance the quality of noodles.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of anthocyanin from black rice bran and its encapsulation by complex coacervation

The present work was planned to optimize extraction process of phenolics, flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanin and antioxidants from black rice bran using Ultrasound-assisted extraction and finally utilize it for encapsulation using double emulsion coacervation process. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for optimization of extraction process. Acidified ethanol (1 M HCl) was used as extraction solvent and ultrasound power (W) and extraction time (min) were used as independent variables. Face centered composite design (FCCD) data was successfully opted and developed a 2nd order polynomial equation with R2 value of 0.94 for total phenolic content (TPC), 0.95 for total flavonoid content (TFC), 0.87 for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 0.98 for total anthocyanin content (ANCs) respectively. Kinetic model study for extraction of anthocyanin was compared to conventional extraction process. Characterization of the extracts was performed using high pressure liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC). Cyanidin-3-glucoside is the predominated anthocyanin found as compared to peonidin-3-D-glucoside. Finally, coacervated microcapsules were developed using anthocyanin extract as core solution and gelatin and acacia gum as wall materials. Characterization of the microcapsules in terms of moisture content, hygroscopicity, solubility, encapsulation efficiency and surface morphology were evaluated. The result thus obtained shows that potential anthocyanin content from black rice bran can be utilized as food ingredients for various food application and formulation of functional food.

Exploring fermentation with lactic acid bacteria as a pretreatment for enhancing antioxidant potential in broccoli stem powders

<abstract> <p>Fruit and vegetable industries face a major environmental challenge with food loss and waste. Broccoli stems, comprising 38% of the plant's total weight, are usually discarded by the industry producing fourth-range and ready-to-use products, despite being rich in antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and glucosinolates. Addressing the challenge of reducing waste in this sector includes the production of stable and nutrient-concentrated powders, which can be consumed directly or used as ingredients in functional food formulation. This study investigated fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (<italic>Limosilactobacillus reuteri</italic>, <italic>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</italic>, and <italic>Lactobacillus salivarius</italic>) as a pretreatment for enhancing antioxidant and probiotic potential in broccoli stem powders. Results showed maximum counts 24 h after inoculation, and no effect of the previous disruption intensity on microbial growth was observed. Fermenting broccoli stems for 24 h with the three microbial strains led to a significant increase in total phenols and flavonoids but to a general reduction in the samples' capacity to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals. Overall, ground broccoli stems exhibited the most favorable antioxidant properties following the 24 h fermentation step. The subsequent freeze-drying and final grinding had minimal impact on the microbial population but significantly enhanced the extractability of the antioxidant compounds. This study offers a valuable reference for researchers and stakeholders exploring the development of new products and innovations from vegetable waste.</p> </abstract>