Higher Water Solubility Index Research Articles

Physical characteristics of extrudates from wheat semolina enriched with cocoa bean shells

Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of cocoa bean shells content (5 % and 10 %), moisture content (14 % and 20 %) and temperature of the matrix (160 °C and 180 °C) on the physical characteristics of wheat semolina extrudates with cocoa bean shells. The extrusion was carried out on a single screw extruder Brabender 20 DN. A full factorial experiment 23 was used to evaluate the influence of above mentioned parameters on the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and moisture content (W). The water absorption index varies between 7.13 g/g and 9.91 g/g, water solubility index between 9.34 % and 22.48 % and moisture content between 7.75 % and 11.31 % respectively. The data show that the increase of the moisture content from 14 % to 20 % increases the water absorption index and decreases the water solubility index while the increase of cocoa bean shells content from 5 % to 10 % results in lower water absorption index and higher water solubility index. Temperature of the matrix has no influence on the moisture content and water absorption index. The water solubility index decreases when the temperature of the matrix increases.

Development of micronutrient dense composite flour for routine enrichment of complementary foods for children 6–24 months old in Acholi sub-region of Uganda

BackgroundThe use of local foods has been widely recognized as a sustainable strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies among resource-constrained households in rural areas in developing countries. Acholi sub-region of Uganda has recently recorded a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies due to inadequate iron, zinc, and calcium contents in complementary foods. Thus the sub-region was used as a case study to examine the potential of amaranth grain-silverfish-iron rich beans micronutrient dense composite flour in improving nutritional quality of complementary foods.DesignMicrosoft Excel was used to derive ingredient combinations based on the micronutrient requirements. Laboratory analyses were used to determine (1) nutritional quality; (2) functional properties and; (3) storage stability of the micronutrient-dense composite flour. Data was analysed using a one-sample t-test and analysis of variance by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.ResultsThe micronutrient-dense composite flour contained 19 mg/100 g, 13 mg/100 g, and 354 mg/100 g of iron, zinc, and calcium, respectively. The cost (0.037–0.058 USD) of the micronutrient-dense composite flour required to meet the RDA for iron and zinc among children 6–24 months old was found lower than the cost (4.81 USD) of a sachet of standard micronutrient powder equivalent to RDA. The product exhibited low bulk density (0.68 g/l), high water solubility index (25.56–29.16%), and short reconstitution time (40.00–45.00 s), and remained safe during the entire 70 days of storage. Theoretically, daily enrichment of complementary foods for children 6–11 and 12–24 months old with 58 and 37 g of the composite, respectively would contribute 100% of the recommended dietary allowance for iron and zinc and 50% for calcium.ConclusionThe developed micronutrient-dense composite flour has the potential to improve the micronutrient quality of complementary foods. A concerted effort is required to promote its use as a strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies among children 6–24 months in resource-constrained settings.

Development and optimization of an extruded aquafeed formulated with moringa flour as a partial substitute for sardine meal

ABSTRACT This study aimed to optimize an extruded aquafeed for Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) using moringa as a partial protein source. Response surface methodology (RSM) with a Rotatable Central Composite Design (CCRD) was employed to evaluate the four factors influence: sardine meal (28.5–39.25%), moringa flour (34.85–45.60%), temperature (110–140°C) and moisture content (13–17%) on aquafeed’s physicochemical characteristics: expansion index (EI), bulk density, water solubility index (WSI), water absorption index (WAI), hardness and buoyancy. Numerical optimization identified 100 potential diets, of which four were selected and met the criteria for high WSI (11–14%), low hardness (22–32 N) and 100% buoyancy. The best diet consisted of 31.19% sardine meal and 42.91% moringa flour, processed at 132.5°C and 16% moisture, presenting 13.68% WSI, full buoyancy, 29.63 N hardness, 36.33% protein, 10.71% lipids, and 31.36% carbohydrates, applicable to fingerling O. niloticus.

Physicochemical and Anti-nutrients Analysis of Pasteurised and Unpasteurised Underutilised Sweet Potato Haulm Juice Powder

Under the cash-crop category, sweet potato (Ipomoea Batatas L.) has the second widest plantation area (3, 623 hectares) in Malaysia, after sweet corn. The sweet potato crop had been grown for its edible tubers, leaving behind the top parts of the plants, which led to abundant agricultural waste, around 10 tonnes per hectare. Early studies showed that haulm (unused tops of the plants consisting of stem, stalk, and leaf) from sweet potato plants are a potential source of nutritional contents, including bioactive materials and antioxidants. Suppose the haulms or other fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) are utilised as these nutrient sources benefit Malaysia in terms of consumption and economy, promoting agricultural sustainability. In this study, the sweet potato haulm undergoes slow-juicing, heat-treatment, and freeze-drying. This research focused on elucidating the physicochemical and anti-nutrients analysis of pasteurised and unpasteurised sweet potato haulm juice powder (SPHJP) (water activity, colour analysis, water solubility index, oxalic acid, and phytic acid) as a potentially edible product. Results significantly showed that pasteurised SPHJP had lower water activity (0.34 aw), lower anti-nutrients concentration (oxalic acid and phytic acid), and a higher water solubility index than the unpasteurised SPHJP (p<0.05). It is proven that heat treatment is crucial when utilizing green waste material, as it can reduce the availability of anti-nutrients and increase its potential as a replacement for other green vegetables. Further study must be conducted to convert this underutilised agricultural product into biofertilisers, bioplastics, biofuels, or nutraceutical products.

Low-cost nutrient-dense composite flours for children aged 1-5 years developed from locally available foods

Childhood malnutrition persists in low-income countries due to inadequate diet diversity and nutrient density. For seasonal crops, consumers make food substitutions based on price variations which has dietary implications and can cause episodes of nutritional deficiencies. Locally available foodstuffs can be used to formulate low-cost nutritionally adequate food mixtures. Design-Expert® and Nutrisurvey software were used to generate nutrient-dense formulations for the dry season (n=2) and wet season (n=5) from low-cost locally available foods in Eastern Uganda (sweet potatoes, sorghum, soybeans, beans, sesame, groundnuts and maize). Composite flours of the formulations were prepared and cooked following the World Food Program (WFP) recommendations and consumer acceptability determined using a consumer panel (n=43). The most acceptable formulation for the dry season (D2) and the most acceptable formulation for the wet season (R5) were selected for the determination of functional properties (dispersibility, bulk density and water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI)), pasting properties (peak viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, setback viscosity and peak time), color and nutrient density (energy content, sugars, starch, protein, crude fat, fiber, ash, iron and zinc). D2 contained 25.35g of sorghum, 1.31g of soybeans, 4.34g of beans, 33.11g of sesame and 35.89g of groundnuts per 100g of formulation. R5 contained 4.95g of maize, 20.98g of sorghum, 5.49g of beans, 29.39g of sesame and 39.19g of groundnuts per 100g of formulation. The nutrient densities of D2 and R5 when cooked according to WFP recommendations were also determined. D2 and R5 had high dispersibility (77.2-76.8%), low water absorption index (1.7-2.0g/g) and high water solubility index (0.2-0.3g/g). The pasting properties indicated that the formulations form stable low viscosity pastes that can withstand breakdown during cooking and have high resistance to retrogradation on cooling. Cooked D2 (100g) contained 87.2kcal, 9.5g starch, 2.3g sugars, 5.8g protein, 1.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, 2.3mg iron and 1.6mg zinc. Cooked R5 (100g) had 71.4kcal, 7.1g starch, 2.6g sugars, 4.2g protein, 0.9g fat, 1.0g fiber, 1.9mg iron and 1.4mg zinc. The cooked samples provided more than 50% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for children aged 1-5 years for protein and zinc per serving (200g for children aged 1-3 years and 250g for children aged 4-5 years). Adopting formulations developed in this study can potentially contribute to reducing undernutrition in children aged 1-5 years. Key words: Low-cost nutrient-dense foods, composite flours, infant feeding, pasting properties, malnutrition

Influence of Carrier Agents Concentrations and Inlet Temperature on the Physical Quality of Tomato Powder Produced by Spray Drying

The study aims to obtain spray-dried tomato powders with a high and effective product yield and enhanced powder quality. The experiment for this investigation entailed the use of several carrier agents, which were maltodextrin (MD) of 4-7 dextrose equivalents (DE), MD of 10-12 DE, and gum Arabic (GA), each in varied concentrations of 5% and 10% with spray drying inlet temperatures of 140°C, 150°C, and 160°C. Powder yield, bulk density, hygroscopicity, moisture content, water solubility, water absorption, color properties, particle size, and powder morphology were all evaluated in spray-dried tomato powders. The results revealed that the stability of the tomato powder is considerably better at high temperatures and concentrations (at 10%, 160oC), with MD 4-7 DE being the best carrier agent among the three tested carrier agents. According to the powder analysis, the product has a moisture content of 3.17 ± 0.29%, the highest yield percentage of 32.1%, a low bulk density of 0.2943 ± 0.01 g/cm3, the lowest hygroscopicity at 5.67± 0.58 %, a high water solubility index (WSI) at 89.98 ± 1.25%, a low water absorption index (WAI) at 6.22 ± 0.22%, an intermediate particle size of 24.73 µm, and color L*, a*,b* values at 31.59 ± 0.03, 11.62 ± 0.08 and 13.32 ± 0.12. The result showed that at higher temperatures and higher concentrations, the powder characteristics are more likely to have a higher yield, WSI, and larger particle size, as well as lower bulk density, hygroscopicity, moisture content, WAI, and color index.

ISOLATION, MODIFICATION AND UTILIZATION OF STARCH FROM GREEN BANANA PEEL AS A FRUIT WASTE

–Green Banana peels obtained from the production of banana chips are still used. Because it is only used as animal feed, it is relatively inexpensive. The pharmaceutical business, as well as a number of food and non-food companies, can all greatly benefit from research into the potential benefits of using banana peel as a source of starch. Starch was extracted from the banana peel using alkaline, sedimentation, centrifugation and enzymatic procedures. Physical, chemical and enzymatic methods were utilized to modify the native starch. Measurements were made of the native and modified starches’ yield and functional characteristics. The centrifugation method produced the highest starch yield, at 22.6% on a dry basis, followed by the enzymatic, alkaline, and sedimentation methods. The ability to bind water is greater than the ability to bind oil. Alkaline has a higher water solubility index, while sedimentation has a lower one. Following the alteration process, the amylose content increased, which reduced the gelling ability. Enzymatic modification decreased the amylose content and increase in water solubility. WBC and OBC increased in physical and chemical modification but decreased in enzymatic method. Banana peel substantial source of starch for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Effects of different proteins and maltodextrin combinations as wall material on the characteristics of Cornus officinalis flavonoids microcapsules.

The flavonoids in Cornus officinalis (CO) have various pharmacological activities, however, the flavonoid instability limits its application in food and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, Cornus officinalis flavonoid (COF) microcapsules were prepared by using a combination of whey isolate protein (WPI), soy isolate protein (SPI), gelatin (GE), and maltodextrin (MD) as wall materials, respectively. Meanwhile, the encapsulation efficiency, solubility, color, particle size, thermal stability and microstructure as well as the antioxidant capacity of microcapsules were assessed. When the protein/MD ratio was 3:7, three kinds of combined wall materials realized high encapsulation efficiency (96.32–98.24%) and water solubility index (89.20–90.10%). Compared with other wall material combinations, the microcapsules with WPI-MD wall ratio at 3:7 had lower particle size (7.17 μm), lower moisture content (6.13%), higher encapsulation efficiency (98.24%), better water solubility index (90.1%), higher thermal stability (86.00°C), brightness L* (67.84) and higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity (6.98 mgVc/g), and better flowability. Results suggested that WPI and MD could be better wall materials applied in encapsulating COF.

Isolation and Characterization Cellulose Nanosphere from Different Agricultural By-Products.

Cellulose nanospheres (CN) have been considered a leading type of nanomaterial that can be applied as a strengthening material in the production of nanocomposites. This work aimed to isolate and characterize the properties of CN from different agricultural by-products. CNs were successfully isolated from rice straw, corncob, Phulae pineapple leaf and peel using acid hydrolysis (60% H2SO4) combined with homogenization-sonication (homogenized at 12,000 rpm for 6 min and ultrasonicated for 10 min). The results showed that the CN from rice straw (RS-CN) and corncob (CC-CN) exhibited high yields (22.27 and 22.36%) (p < 0.05). All hydrolyzed CNs exhibited a spherical shape with a diameter range of 2 to 127 nm. After acid hydrolysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results showed no impurities. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the structure of cellulose was changed from cellulose-I to cellulose-II. However, cellulose-I remained in pineapple peel cellulose nanosphere (PP-CN). The crystalline index (CI) ranged from 43.98 to 73.58%, with the highest CI obtained in the CC-CN. The CN from all sources presented excellent thermal stability (above 300 °C). The functional properties, including water absorption Index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and swelling capacity were investigated. PP-CN showed the highest WAI and swelling capacity, while the PL-CN had the highest WSI (p < 0.05). Among all samples, CC-CN showed the highest extraction yield, small particle size, high CI, and desirable functional properties to be used as a material for bio-nanocomposites film.

Microencapsulation of Syzygium zeylanicum (L.) DC . extract using spray drying: Effects of wall materials on physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of the microcapsules

Syzygium zeylanicum (L.) is a common medicinal herb distributed in Asian countries and has been reported to possess significant antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. In this study, ethanolic extract from this plant was encapsulated by spray drying using resistant maltodextrin and its blends with gum Arabic, α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin coating materials. The physical characteristics, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities, and phenolic release kinetics of the obtained microcapsules were evaluated. All coating formulations used for spray drying resulted in spherical microcapsules with high encapsulation efficiency and water solubility index. The single use of resistant maltodextrin showed the greatest release of phenolic compounds from microcapsules as well as antioxidant and antidiabetic capacities compared to the other blending formulations. Thus, resistant maltodextrin is suggested to be used as the coating agent to produce encapsulated powder containing Syzygium zeylanicum L extract which will be further supplemented into food and pharmaceutical products. Novelty impact statement Bioactive ingredients extracted from Syzygium zeylanicum (L.) were successfully encapsulated with resistant maltodextrin by spray drying for the first time. The obtained phenolic-rich microcapsules with high water solubility index and significant antioxidant and antidiabetic activities may be applied as a functional supplement for foods and pharmaceutical products.

Health promoting olive leaf as a food ingredient: industrial study on a confectionery product

The chemical composition and functional properties of olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf powder (OL) as an ingredient to be used in green and sustainable food processing were determined. OL contained low moisture (8% of dry weight) and fat (1.6%), moderate rates of proteins (10.8%) and high amounts of carbohydrates (70.8 %) composed mainly of insoluble fibers (57.9%). Due to its high content in insoluble fibers, OL displayed high fat absorption power and moderate water solubility index and holding capacity. Therefore, OL can be an appropriate ingredient to stabilize lipid rich food formulations. OL was incorporated at an industrial scale in a pistachio paste based confectionery product. This addition enabled to protect the oil from oxidation during cooking, drying and storage of the pistachio paste mixture. Moreover, the microbiological quality, textural properties, sensory attributes, and overall acceptance of the product were improved. This work promotes the use of OL as a health promoting multi-functional food ingredient.

Application of barley flour processed by different methods as an alternative to fat in emulsion‐type sausage

AbstractPhysicochemical properties of three types of barley flour, whole barley flour (BF), electromagnetic stir‐frying whole barley flour, and extruded whole barley powder (EBF), and their potential application in emulsion type sausage were evaluated in this study. The water solubility index, water absorption index, and pasting properties of barley flour treated by different processing technologies were significantly different. The EBF has the highest water solubility index (12.67%) and water absorption index (503.20%), and with the minimum peak viscosity (2593.67 cp) and pasting temperature (50.20°C). The water‐holding capacity and cooking loss of emulsified sausage improved significantly after adding the barley flour processed by different methods, especially the 9%BF substitution, the pressure water loss rate and cooking loss rate were reduced to 5.32% and 14.52%, respectively. The emulsified sausage added with BF indicated better color quality and texture properties comparable with the control. Scanning electron microscopy also showed that the addition of three kinds of barley flour in sausage formation led to a difference in the microstructure of the sausages. This study suggested that barley flour improved the physicochemical and textural properties of the emulsified sausage.

Microencapsulation of Sideritis raeseri Boiss. &amp; Heldr. subsp. raeseri Extract Using Spray Drying with Maltodextrin and Whey Protein

Multiple medical properties and beneficial influence on health attributed to the aerial parts of Sideritis raeseri Boiss. &amp; Heldr. subsp. raeseri indicated the need for further investigation. S. raeseri extracts were subjected to microencapsulation by the spray drying process in order to disperse and preserve unstable active compounds within a protective matrix. Two inlet air temperatures (120 and 140 ºC) were applied for the encapsulation of S. raeseri extract in a matrix composed of maltodextrin (10, 20, and 40%) or whey protein (40%). The effects of spray drying on physico-chemical properties, contents of total phenols and flavonoids, as well as of individual flavonoid glycosides of the obtained powders were determined. The 40% whey protein treatment increased bulk density (238.46 mg/mL) while it decreased hygroscopicity (14.27%). In addition, the high maltodextrin concentration of the S. raeseri powder resulted in the highest process efficiency (63.46%), the highest water solubility index (86.40%), and the lowest water absorption index (5.71%). Moreover, powders produced without maltodextrin were characterized by greater content of flavonoid glycosides. Overall, the results suggested that S. raeseri powders produced using spray-dried technique under adequate conditions could be considered as a novel functional and pharmaceutical ingredient.

Characteristics of product complementary feeding with fortified fish protein hydrolysate (FPH)

Malnutrition is still a major problem in Indonesia, particularly stunting and acute malnutrition due to protein deficiency. In contrast, Indonesia is rich in protein sources such as fish but they are poorly utilized. Biologically processed fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) has proven to be highly nutritious and digestible. Our preliminary study in developing the High Protein Complementary Food (HPCF) formula for infant enriched with FPH, showed that of 17 formulas, 3 formulas was the best. This study was aimed to analyzing sensory analysis using the hedonic test, physical analysis and absorption protein. The result shows that the hedonic test of FPH-enriched HPCF infant food revealed that the product was acceptable in term of colour, aroma and texture. In comparison to the commercial product, FPH-enriched instant HPCF infant product had higher bulk density. The highest Water Absorption Index (WAI) was F1-C, the highest Water Solubility Index (WSI) was F1-P, and the lowest rehydration was F2-P. Compared to commercial products, the instant FPH-enriched HPCF baby porridge has a bulk density that is greater than that of commercial products. The highest Water Absorption Index (WAI) was F1-C, the highest Water Solubility Index (WSI) was F1-P and the lowest time for Rehydration was at F2-P. HPCF enriched with FPH showed the best protein absorption significantly in the P2 treatment group

The response surface optimization of exopolysaccharide produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y3 and its partial characterization

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the conditions of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y3. The results indicated that the yield of EPS reached 4.52 ± 0.14 g/L with 10.30% (w/v) sucrose, 0.64% (w/v) yeast extract, liquid volume 141.5 mL, which was 2.40 times the original EPS yield. Y3 EPS contained 83.65 ± 0.16% of total sugars, 15.27 ± 0.26% of uronic acid, 0.78 ± 0.02% of protein and 0.30 ± 0.12% of sulfuric acid groups. Y3 EPS maintained a relatively low viscosity, with intrinsic viscosities of 306.58 mL/g (25 °C) and 200.91 mL/g (35 °C), respectively. The EPS had high water solubility index (WSI), high water holding capacity (WHC) and good emulsifying ability (EA). Meanwhile, the EPS could absorb metal ions such as Cu2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+. In addition, Y3 EPS exhibited good antioxidant properties and coagulated skim milk with a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicated that S. cerevisiae Y3 EPS had applicable prospects in medicine, food, especially the dairy industry.

Effect of pearling on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) flour

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of pearling on the physicochemical properties, bioactive compound contents, and antioxidant capacity of quinoa flour. Three different varieties of whole quinoa flour and corresponding pearled flour were tested. Compared with pearled flour, whole flour had a higher water solubility index, swelling power, and water and oil absorption capacity; lower pasting temperature; and higher setback. The phenolic, flavonol, and saponin contents of quinoa flour were significantly decreased after pearling treatment. Moreover, liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to identify and quantify the phenolic composition. Most of the phenolic compounds were higher in whole flour than in pearled flour. The antioxidant capacity of quinoa flour was reduced after pearling. The high correlations were also found between the bioactive compound contents and properties of quinoa flour.

Fermentation of locust bean (Parkia biglobosa): modulation in the anti‐nutrient composition, bioactive profile, in vitro nutrient digestibility, functional and morphological characteristics

SummaryThe present investigation was undertaken with an objective to assess the impact of fermentation temperatures (22, 30, 38 and 46 °C for 72 h) on physico‐chemical, functional and structural characteristics of locust bean (Parkia biglobosa). Alkaline fermentation treatment caused drastic reduction in anti‐nutritional factors including tannins (~65%), phytates (~60%) and saponins (~70%) owing to hydrothermal treatment and production of microbial enzymes during fermentation. Furthermore, phytochemical profile and associated antioxidant potential were enhanced due to the breakdown of cell‐wall components and polyphenolic complexes, liberating phenolic acids and flavonoids available for extraction. With respect to bioactive properties and in vitro starch and protein digestibility, the most pronounced effect was observed after fermentation at 38 °C for 72 h. The trend was also supported by scanning electron micrographs, which revealed modulation in the macromolecular‐structural arrangement. Significant and negative correlation coefficients between anti‐nutritional factors and protein digestibility (r &gt; −0.95, P &lt; 0.05) confirmed the degradation of protein–polyphenol matrix. Exposure of hydrophobic regions due to fermentation resulted in altered functional properties including better oil absorption capacity, higher water solubility index, reduced water absorption potential, and lower emulsification and gelation properties. Principal component analysis was further employed to statistically validate the differences among variables and observations.

Microwave drying of banana blossoms ( Musa acuminata ): Mathematical modeling and drying energetics

This research work explored the effect of microwave output power on drying characteristics, moisture diffusion, drying efficiency, and specific energy consumption. Banana blossoms was cut into 3 mm thickness and was dried as monolayers at five different power levels (160, 320, 480, 640, and 800 W). After drying, the powdered banana sample was analyzed for color attributes and functional characterization. Eight different mathematical models were investigated and the Page model was the best-fitted model for all samples with the maximum R2 values of 0.99359 (P-160 W), 0.99505 (P-320 W), 0.99344 (P-480 W), 0.99160 (P-640 W), and 0.99192 (P-800 W). The drying time was minimizing from 40 to 10 min as the microwave output powers increase from 160 to 800 W. The drying constant (k) is enhanced as microwave power increases. The effective diffusivity of banana blossoms varied from 4.428 × 10−7 to 1.171 × 10−7 m2/s and the activation energy was estimated as 7.96 W/g. Maximum energy consumption was found to be 7.74 MJ/kg water at 160 W, whereas minimum energy consumption was minimum (5.74 MJ/kg water) at a microwave power of 640 W. Energy efficiency increases with increasing microwave output power. Applied microwave output power was a critical aspect of all color parameters of the banana blossoms powder. Powdered banana blossoms dried at 640 W showed the highest lightness L* of 54.43 ± 0.46 with redness (a*) of 4.19 ± 0.03, and yellowness (b) of 10.71 ± 0.29. The highest water solubility index was 53.30 ± 0.59 % for the sample dried at 640 W and oil absorption capacity (g/g) and foaming capacity (ml) were varied from 1.76 ± 0.07 to 2.93 g/g and 1.67 ± 0.58 to 4.53 ± 0.57 ml. Practical applications Dehydrated banana blossoms could be an option to make convenience their utilization for different food products formulation, and food fortification. Hence, advanced drying techniques are needed in the current scenario. Microwave drying is one of the advanced drying techniques which helps to enhance the quality attribute of a dehydrated product in comparison to the conventional drying technique which produces a lower quality product and needs a longer processing time. Microwave drying of banana blossoms slices results in a considerable enhancement in the preservation quality. This research work will offer an alternative technique to make dehydrated banana blossoms with a considerably better quality of products. High-quality dehydrated banana blossoms can be practically implicated by the microwave drying technique with an optimum condition.

Defined shear and heat treatment of apple pomace: impact on dietary fiber structures and functional properties

Food by-products can be modified by extrusion processing. However, the impact of thermal and mechanical stress, respectively, on the structure and thus functional properties of dietary fiber-rich food by-products is still unknown. In the extrusion process, thermal and mechanical stress are coupled, not constant, and difficult to measure or calculate. Thus, their influence on structural changes and functional properties cannot be evaluated separately. In this work, a specific shear cell, denoted by closed cavity rheometer, was used to treat apple pomace with defined thermal and/or mechanical stress. Dietary fiber composition and fiber polysaccharide structures appeared to be more susceptible to high temperatures than mechanical stress. With increasing temperature (and mechanical stress) soluble and low-molecular-weight soluble dietary fiber contents increased, whereas insoluble fiber contents decreased. Arabinans as rhamnogalacturonan type I polysaccharides and galacturonic acid containing pectic polysaccharides were identified as being most susceptible to degradation under these conditions. Furthermore, the defined treatment affected the functional properties. Although changes in the water solubility index (WSI) and/or the water absorption index (WAI) were not detected up to 90 °C, WSI and WAI decreased significantly at a treatment temperature of 120 °C. However, at very high temperatures (160 °C), WSI and WAI increased. The application of shear and longer treatment times resulted in higher WSI values and complex viscosities as compared to low shear stress.Graphic abstract

Comparison of different thermal treatments on the physicochemical properties of Apios fortunei used for yellow wine fermentation

A novel material (Apios fortunei), which has a high starch content and potential healthcare functions, was used for yellow wine fermentation. To determine how the tuber's composition would be modified by thermal treatments and how those modifications would affect fermentation, the changes in the physicochemical properties of the A. fortunei tuber after steam cooking, traditional extrusion (extrusion without enzyme) and enzymatic extrusion (introduce the amylase into the extrusion) were investigated. The results showed a low degree of gelatinization (70.56%) in the steam-cooked sample, and the fermentation broth of the traditionally extruded sample was dense. However, the enzymatically extruded sample was almost completely gelatinized (99.09%) with an amorphous starch structure measured via X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The high water solubility index (61.66%), low water absorption index (1.68 g/g) and viscosity (<60 cP), indicated that the broth of enzymatically extruded sample had a fine fluidity. The results of the final wines indicated that enzymatic extrusion significantly increased the fermentation efficiency, from 62.22% (steam cooking) and 63.87% (traditional extrusion) to 73.47%. Meanwhile, enzymatic extrusion improved the quality characteristics of the final wines, including total amino acid (4559.20 mg/L), soluble solid content (7.35 g/100 g) and total acid (10.66 g/L).