Nutritional Quality Research Articles

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and non-targeted metabolomics analysis reveals the flavor and nutritional metabolic differences of cow's milk fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with different phenotypic

This study comprehensively evaluated the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum T1 and CSK (ropy and non-ropy phenotypes), on flavour, and nutrient metabolites of fermented milks using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and non-targeted metabolomics. The microrheological analysis showed that the protein gelation time of CSK fermented milk was earlier (5.2 h) than that of T1 (7.0 h), while the fermented milk by T1 had higher elastic modulus. Fermentation by both strains significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of the fermented milk, including scavenging capabilities against ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radicals. Meanwhile, fermentation by two strains produced various volatile flavor compounds (hexanoic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, nonanal, decanal, 2-heptanone and 2-nonanone, etc.), and L. plantarum CSK displayed more stronger acid production capacity. In addition, a total of 397 shared metabolites and 81 unique metabolites were identified by untargeted metabolomics analysis of the two groups of fermented milks, mainly including lipids and lipid-like molecules (66, 27.27%), organic heterocyclic compounds (40, 16.53%), phenylketones and polyketones (23, 9.5%), and organic acids and their derivatives (49, 20.25%). Furthermore, both strains significantly elevated the amino acid nutritional levels in the fermented milk, conferred an abundance of active metabolites such as niacin and nicotinamide. During the fermentation, L. plantarum CSK notably produced antioxidant fumaric acid and exhibited higher fatty acid metabolism compared to L. plantarum T1. Overall, this study provides some practical basis for the development of fermented cow's milk with good antioxidant activity and high nutritional quality using different phenotypes of L. plantarum.

Effects of corona discharge plasma pretreatment on the drying kinetics and quality attributes of lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) bulbs

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of corona discharge plasma (CDP) treatments of different durations (1, 3, 5, and 10 min) on the drying kinetics and quality attributes of lilies, including color, enzyme activities, total phenols content (TPC), and antioxidant activity. The microstructure of lilies under different CDP conditions were also investigated. As a result, all CDP treatments enhanced the drying rate relative to untreated lilies, and the shortest drying time of 7 h was obtained at CDP-3 minute samples. CDP treatment led to a higher retention in the TPC of dried lilies. Microstructural analysis revealed the formation of irregular micropores on the surface of the lilies after CDP treatment, which was closely associated with the accelerated drying rate and improved bioactive substances of the dried product. In conclusion, CDP has emerged as a novel and beneficial pretreatment technique that accelerates the drying process and enhances the nutritional qualities of dried lilies.

Nutritional Qualities of Different Commercial Raspberries Consumed in Morocco

Nutritional Qualities of Different Commercial Raspberries Consumed in Morocco

Large-scale production of non-conventional edible plants for biodiverse school meals.

School feeding programs are important for ensuring food security and promoting child health and development, particularly in low-income countries. In view of this importance, it is possible to increase the quality of these meals by diversifying the vegetables offered and incorporating underutilized plants to improve dietary diversity and nutritional quality into school meals. This study was carried out using the action research methodology following the implementation and development of the "Inova na Horta" project in the city of Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil. The project was based on the existing and functioning physical and organizational structure of a municipal organic farm. Vegetables were selected from among 210 non-conventional species and varieties, which were further selected for continuous production based on 8 nutritional, culinary and cultivation criteria. Thirty-four vegetables were selected for continuous cultivation and provisions to the school kitchens. Nine tons of vegetables were produced and provided to 90 municipal schools from 2020-2023. Leafy vegetables accounted for most the production, with a total weight of 6441 kg corresponding to 71.6% of the total harvest. Kitchen teams were trained throughout the project duration. The feasibility of the production and culinary use of 34 biodiverse, nutrient-rich and underutilized food vegetables for school meals was demonstrated. The selected vegetables are nutrient-rich and contain higher amounts of minerals and proteins than the control vegetables (conventional vegetables), thus complementing several nutrients in school meals. This methodology can be replicated by municipalities of various sizes as a public policy of food and nutritional security associated with the valorization of local biodiversity.

Amino acid composition and chemical properties of protein noodles incorporated with cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer) powder

Crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer) are considered a primary meat-alternative protein source. The insects comprise of 58 - 63% high-quality protein rich in essential amino acids. Nowadays, noodles are regularly consumed. Cricket powder-based protein noodles (PNCP) could be a choice for individuals with gluten allergies. In the present work, PNCP 0%, PNCP 15%, and PNCP 30% were assessed. PNCP 30% yielded the optimal nutritional quality in terms of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, and crude fibre contents. It also contained the highest levels of 18 amino acids. Results also revealed that the noodles incorporated with cricket powder had double aspartic acid content, and increased proline content (3 - 7%) compared to control samples. Statistical analysis demonstrated a direct correlation between increased nutritional quality and the cricket powder amount added. Nevertheless, increasing cricket powder amount affected the colour of the resultant noodles. PNCP 30% yielded the darkest hue amongst the samples with an L* value of 38.21 ± 1.93%. Conversely, PNCP 0% and 15% samples yielded 56.18 ± 0.75 and 45.06 ± 1.66% L* values, respectively. Texture profile analysis also revealed the effects on the tensile strength values of enhancing the cricket powder content. Panellists scored the PNCP samples on a 9-point hedonic scale in a five-dimensional sensory evaluation. PNCP 15% recorded the ideal combination of palatability, appearance, and characteristics. Overall, the present work demonstrated that whilst utilising cricket powder as the alternative protein source in noodles is feasible, an accompanying sensory evaluation is critical to ensure that its incorporation does not compromise consumer acceptance of the final product.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) enhancement through genomic resources and breeding methods: current implications and potential future interventions.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an essential staple crop in many regions of Africa and Asia, valued for its nutritional content and resilience in challenging agro-ecological conditions. The enhancement of finger millet through genomic resources and breeding methods represents a promising avenue for addressing food and nutritional security. Current efforts in this field have harnessed genomic technologies to decipher the crop's genetic diversity and identify key traits related to yield, disease resistance, and nutritional content. These insights have facilitated the development of improved varieties through selective breeding, accelerating the crop's adaptation to changing environmental conditions. In the future, continued advancements in genomics and breeding methodologies hold the potential to further enhance finger millet's resilience, nutritional value, and productivity, ultimately benefiting both farmers and consumers. This review article synthesizes the current state of research and development in finger millet enhancement through the integration of genomic resources and innovative breeding methods. The utilization of these insights in selective breeding has already yielded promising results in developing improved finger millet varieties that meet the evolving needs of farmers and consumers. Moreover, this article discusses potential future interventions, including the continued advancement of genomics, precision breeding, and sustainable agricultural practices. These interventions hold the promise of further enhancing finger millet's adaptability to changing climates, its nutritional quality, and its overall productivity, thereby contributing to food security and improved livelihoods in finger millet-dependent regions.

Value‐Added Processing of Food Legumes Using Extrusion Technology: A Review

ABSTRACTExtrusion processing of legumes has gained increased commercial significance in recent years. Food legumes or pulses are a rich source of protein, total dietary fiber, starch, minerals, selected vitamins, and other bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. The relatively higher protein and lower carbohydrate contents than cereal grains make legumes a healthy choice for developing new food products. While legumes are a staple in many developing countries, their consumption remains to be very low in most of the developed countries. Developing legume‐based ready‐to‐use ingredients and ready‐to‐eat products can potentially increase legume consumption, especially in developed countries. In addition to traditional legume processing methods, extrusion cooking offers a cost‐effective option to manufacture legume‐based products and ingredients. In recent years, increased concerns by consumers about environmental sustainability and food security have resulted in promoting plant‐based proteins as meat substitutes and meat analogs, which are primarily produced by extrusion or wet/dry extraction. In this regard, extrusion is more sustainable and environment‐friendly processing technology due to its process efficiency and minimal effluents. Legumes processed by extrusion cooking have wide applications in a variety of food products, for example, flour mixes and doughs, snack items, baked foods, meat alternatives, meat extenders, gluten‐free products, and nutraceuticals. Furthermore, extrusion process improves the digestibility and functional properties, and lowers or eliminates the antinutrients found in most legumes. This comprehensive review article discusses extrusion processing technology/systems, legumes extrusion, and nutritional quality, functional properties, food safety, and consumer acceptance of extruded legume products.

Fatty acid and essential oil compositions of seeds of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Cultivated in different regions of Ethiopia

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seeds are used as spices. In this study, fatty acids extracted from the coriander seeds collected from three places (Sululta, Jimma and Wolaita Sodo) in Ethiopia were determined as their methyl ester using GC-MS. The fatty acid components were assessed using linoleic acid ethyl ester as an external standard. Sululta sample showed five fatty acids, while Wolaita Sodo and Jimma three each with highest amount of petroselinic acid: 68.41%, 72.53%, and 64.4%, respectively, of the total fatty acids. Linoleic acid (omega-6) was found in the range of 18.24-22.37%. The polyunsaturated versus saturated (P/S) index values were found to be 1.69-2.39, which indicated that coriander seeds from the three sites have a good capacity to prevent the development of cardiovascular and some chronic diseases. The number of compounds identified in the essential oils of coriander seeds from Jimma, Sululta, and Wolaita Sodo were 7, 9, and 15 with total percent areas of 99.64, 75.14, and 96.68, respectively. The major component in the essential oils was linalool ranging from 36.72-88.50% of the total amount. In general, the chemical constituents of fatty acids and essential oils of coriander seeds indicates its good nutritional quality and usefulness for human health. KEY WORDS: Coriander seeds, Fatty acids, P/S index, Essential oils, Nutritional quality, Spice Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(4), 863-876. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i4.4

The coloration of Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) (Caridea, Atydae) fed with live microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis and the cyanobacteria Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis

Haematococcus pluvialis synthesizes and accumulates astaxanthins, while Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis produces phycocyanins. The ornamental shrimp Neocaridina davidi is commercially important for its variety and intensity of coloration. We evaluate the effect on the coloration of N. davidi by consuming H. pluvialis and S. platensis as a food supplement to preserve their nutritional quality. H. pluvialis was subjected to stress to obtain aplanospores with astaxanthin. Live microalgae were included in gelled spheres to provide them as a supplement to three-day-old N. davidi juveniles with different phenotypes: wild (NdW), red (NdR), and blue (NdB). The experiment involved the commercial food supply and spheres with or without microalgae for 31 days. Chromatophores present in the uropod of each phenotype were examined, their number and expansion estimated, and the area covered by optical density (OD). Results show that H. pluvialis reached a greater astaxanthin accumulation on day 30. The coloration of the NdR and NdB phenotypes improved by consuming microalgae, increasing the OD in the uropod. NdB phenotype showed better coloration when consuming S. platensis (56.2%), while the NdR phenotype was more favored when consuming H. pluvialis (74.2%). The chromatophores expanded their area by doubling in the NdR and NdB phenotypes, where H. pluvialis increased its intensity four times in NdR. The number of chromatophores was significant only in NdR with S. platensis. In conclusion, gelling is a viable method to preserve the nutritional quality of live microalgae and transfer bioactive compounds that improve the coloration of N. davidi.

ASSESSMENT OF THE NUTRITIONAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF VENDED TIGER NUT (Cyperus esculentus) DRINK IN CHOBA, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

The study was aimed at determining the nutritional and microbiological quality of tiger nut milk (Kunun-aya) sold by three vendors for a three-week period in Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria. Standard methods were employed in determining the proximate, mineral composition, total heterotrophic bacterial counts and presence of Staphylococcus and Escherichia species. Moisture content was consistently highest, ranging from 78.04±2.24 to 87.34±1.24, followed by carbohydrate (7.41±1.88 to 15.14±2.33) and the least was ash (0.11±0.03 to 0.26±0.14). The most abundant of the five minerals was potassium (K) with values ranging from 837.98±15.26 to 931.43±33.30, followed by sodium (Na) with values ranging from 587.39±15.58 to 663.78±34.65 and the least was iron (Fe) with values ranging from 8.50±3.57 to 13.44±3.47. Microbial counts results reveal the following for total heterotrophic bacteria (1.4 to 9.5×107 cfu/ml), Staphylococcus (1.6×103 to 5.5×104 cfu/ml) and Escherichia spp. (0 to 5×103 cfu/ml). The results obtained in this study has revealed the presence of valuable nutrient needed for healthy living as well as high microbial loads and presence of etiologic agents of human infections in vended tiger-nut milk sold in Choba. This underscores the need for the milk to be aseptically prepared to forestall the transmission of pathogenic bacteria to consumers.

Gender mainstreaming in sweetpotato breeding and dissemination in Ghana and Malawi.

Gender responsiveness in breeding programs to meet client and end user preferences for crops is essential. This case study analyzes the implementation experience of gender-responsive breeding and variety dissemination in Malawi and Ghana, focusing on good practices and challenges encountered. In Malawi, a training-of-trainers approach was employed to share knowledge among trained farmers. In Ghana, a research study was conducted to identify gender-based preferences for sweetpotato to define breeding objectives. The participation of social scientists, food scientists, and sweetpotato breeders in the GREAT (Gender Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation) team provided a multidisciplinary perspective, addressing questions and responses in the field. Research efforts were strengthened by focusing on food quality through the establishment of an analytical laboratory for rapid evaluation of nutrition and food quality, including sugars. This helped develop sensory analytical capacity to better understand quality attributes and market segments, guiding breeding and improving market opportunities for women. Breeding outcomes resulting from gender inclusion led to the release of some sweetpotato varieties meeting end user and consumer preferences, as well as adoption of OFSP varieties by men and women. Other good practices for gender inclusion and responsiveness include providing funds for gender-based research and activities, engaging gender specialists and social scientists in trans-disciplinary teams, designing program activities with gender considerations, and incorporating traits in seed multiplication and dissemination decisions. Application of these gender inclusion practices resulted in adoption and development of acceptable sweetpotato varieties.

Sources and fate of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in a highly eutrophic lake

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFA) are central to the growth and reproduction of aquatic consumers. Dissolved nutrients in aquatic ecosystems strongly affect algal taxonomic composition and thus the production and transfer of specific ω3-PUFA to consumers at higher trophic levels. However, most studies were conducted in nutrient-poor, oligotrophic lakes, leading to an insufficient understanding of how water nutrients affect algal ω3-PUFA and their trophic transfer in consumers in highly eutrophic lakes.We conducted a field investigation in a highly eutrophic lake and collected basal food sources (phytoplankton, periphyton and macrophytes) and aquatic consumers (invertebrates, zooplankton and fish), and measured their fatty acid (FA) composition.Our results showed that periphyton and phytoplankton were both important sources of ω3-PUFA supporting the highly eutrophic lake food web. High water nutrient levels led to low ω3-PUFA levels in phytoplankton and periphyton, resulting in decreased nutritional quality. Consequently, ω3-PUFA of invertebrates and zooplankton reflected variations in ω3-PUFA of phytoplankton and periphyton, respectively.The ω3-PUFA levels of fish decreased as phytoplankton and periphyton ω3-PUFA decreased. Among fish, the Redfin Culter (Cultrichthys erythropterus) and Bar Cheek Goby (Rhinogobius giurinus) exhibited significantly higher levels of EPA and DHA compared to the Pond Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), which may have been caused by their different feeding modes.Decreases in the ω3-PUFA levels of basal food sources may be one of the causes leading to the reduction of trophic links in aquatic food webs.Our study elucidated the sources and fate of ω3-PUFA in highly eutrophic lakes, complemented previous studies in oligo- and mesotrophic lakes, and emphasized the role of high-quality food sources. Our results offer new perspectives for the conservation and management of highly eutrophic lake ecosystems.

Exploring bioactive compounds and antioxidant potentials in cake, biscuits, and papad innovations with wheatgrass powder (Triticum aestivum L.)

Wheatgrass has been attracting a lot of attention recently because of its potent nutritional profile and health benefits. This study's objective was to estimate the amount of phenolic and antioxidant activity in baked items prepared with wheatgrass. To prepare cakes and biscuits, wheatgrass powder (WGP) was substituted for wheat flour at 0, 5, 7, and 9 %. For papad, green gram flour was replaced by added WGP at 0, 3, 6, and 9 %. Total phenol, DPPH activity, and β-carotene levels were significantly greater in Cake C3 (9 %). Again, compared to other samples, papad P3 (9 %) had higher levels of flavonoids. The nutritional qualities of baked items were impacted by all levels of wheat flour substitution with wheatgrass powder; however, a 3–6 % substitution level is advised to improve the sensory qualities of these products. The papad and biscuits were microbiologically safe to store for up to 30 days and 60 days, respectively, due to their low microbial load. But after just six days of preparation, the cake was ruined. However, Wheatgrass can be used in baked products, pasta, and snacks, as well as juices and smoothies, to boost their nutritious content. Wheatgrass extracts can also be utilized as a natural food flavoring or coloring, giving it a distinctive green color.

Green extraction of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)-based functional beverage: Assessment of nutritional quality and storage stability

Microwave and ultrasound were investigated for their ability to enhance the nutritional content in chickpea (Cicer arietinum)-based functional beverage extraction, and the obtained results were compared to conventional beverage processing. This was followed by the storage stability analyses in terms of changes in physicochemical (pH, TSS, color), microbial, and functional (total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity) properties for 21 days. The findings of our study indicate that ultrasound and microwave processing techniques exhibit distinct advantages over conventional processing in terms of not only enhancing the protein yield but also retaining the bioactive and functional compounds during storage. Among the extraction methods, microwave was found more effective with respect to higher protein yield (7.89 ± 0.11 g/100 g of beverage), protein solubility (18.54% ± 0.23%), and in vitro protein digestibility (90.79% ± 0.64%) at the optimum conditions (temperature: 65.8 °C and time: 6.7 min). Regarding storage stability, microwave processing led to a remarkable increase of 47.32% in total phenolic content and 58.34% in total flavonoid content. The microbial study revealed less total bacterial and fungal counts in microwave and ultrasonically processed beverages over the storage period. Moreover, the study also revealed that the processing treatments applied did not result in significant alterations in the pH and acidity values of the chickpea beverage.

Nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics of an infant puree food from pre-treated pumpkin flesh (Curcubita pepo L.), soybean (Glycine max L.) and spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea)

Complementary foods are essential during childhood. They permit and ensure growth and equally alleviate infant malnutrition. The use of locally available foods (Pumpkin, Soybean, and Spinach leaves) for the formulation of complementary foods is recommended as it could improve its accessibility. This study was aimed at formulating an infant puree food with good nutritional quality and an acceptable viscosity. Pumpkin, spinach leaves, and soybean were purchased from the central market of Ngaoundere and subjected to various treatments in the laboratory. Pumpkin flesh was fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum, spinach leaves were steamed, and soybean was soaked in water and latter roasted. The proximate composition of these foodstuff was determined before and after treatments. Two basic purees (PI and PII) were prepared from the pre-treated foods and five other formulations obtained from these basic purees were: (PI4, PI5, PII3, PII4, and PII5) thus corresponding to the addition of water at various volume percentages: 40, 50, 30, 40 and 50 respectively. The proximate composition and sensorial evaluation (taste, flavour, colour, smoothness, viscosity, appearance and overall acceptability) of theses purees were investigated. The results show that fermenting pumpkin flesh led to a significant (p < 0.05) increase in its soluble sugar content by 92.17 % while steam blanching increases the iron content in spinach leaves by 38.83 %. The viscosities of the derived purees produced were within 3280–4460 mPa s. All the formulated infant purees were poor in soluble sugar thus revealing that they all had a low energy value. This suggests that addition of sucrose during formulation could be required. Puree formulations PI4, PI5 and PII3 met the recommendations of WHO/FAO in terms of proteins (13.62 g/100g), fats (10.67 g/100g), and iron (10.00 mg/100g) content. We observed that the overall acceptability of formulated purees was significantly dependent on their taste and sugar content. Puree PII3 made of 85 % fermented pumpkin flesh, 7.5 % steamed spinach leaf paste, 7.5 % of soybean powder and 30 % of water by volume was the most appreciated by the panellists.

Impact of non‐thermal processing on the nutritional quality and bioactive properties of industrial hempseed flours and protein isolate

AbstractThere is an unmet demand for plant‐based ingredients with desirable nutritional, techno‐functional properties, and health benefits. In this study, the composition, nutritional quality, and bioactives in industrial hempseed flours and protein isolate generated by milling, germination, isoelectric precipitation (IEP), and enzyme‐assisted extraction (EAE) were evaluated. Moisture, ash, fat, protein, phytic acid, tannin, and trypsin inhibitor content of the hempseed flours and protein isolate were 2.80%–6.46%, 5.07%–28.89%, 0.00%–31.44%, 22.71%–89.94%, 0.55%–1.05%, 274.24–1300.76 μg/g, and 0.00–42.66 U/g, respectively. IEP resulted in the highest protein content (89.94%), indicative of its effective to isolate hempseed protein. Germination and IEP significantly reduced phytic acid and tannin contents by 1.53‐ and 3.63‐fold, respectively. All processing methods improved in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD). SDS‐PAGE analysis revealed comparable band patterns in milled and protein isolate, with a strong 50 kDa band attributed as edestin. Amino acid analysis showed that EAE augmented total essential amino acids, particularly protease. Milling and pronase treatment yielded the highest and lowest IVPD‐corrected amino acid score (IVPDCAAS) of 76% and 47%, respectively. Milled and germinated flours contained varying amounts of γ‐tocopherol, lutein, zeaxanthin, α‐carotene, and β‐carotene. Germinated flour exhibited elevated levels of total phenolic (14.36 mg/g), and flavonoid (1.76 mg/g) contents, FRAP, TEAC, and DPPH compared to the other flours suggesting superior antioxidant capacity. Strong positive correlations (r &gt;0.70) were found between IVPD and phytic acid for the protein isolate, total phenolic content, and FRAP for IEP and germinated flours. Overall, hempseed flours with diverse properties could be produced using non‐thermal processing.

Ultraviolet-C Light and Peracetic Acid Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh and Frozen Strawberries

The postharvest life of strawberries is short, and disinfection processes for fresh-cut and frozen strawberries are needed to address the risk posed by foodborne pathogens in this kind of product. For this, a process involving immersion in a 40 mg L−1 peracetic acid (PA) solution accompanied by the use of an emerging technology, ultraviolet-C for 2 min, was studied for its impact on strawberry quality and microbial load as a novel alternative method to chlorine sanitation. The shelf life of the washed strawberries was evaluated in fresh (whole or fresh-cut) product for 11 days at 4 °C and in product that had been frozen for 12 months at –20 °C (air or modified atmosphere, 20% CO2, 5% O2, and 75% N2). After washing, total aerobic mesophylls, yeast, and mold decreased by 0.5–1.0 log units and these counts remained low during storage. The fresh and fresh-cut fruits’ firmness (2.3 ± 0.5 N at day 11) and lightness (expressed by L*, averaging 31.0 ± 0.1) were maintained. Although antioxidant activity, expressed by the amount of radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), decreased during storage in fresh-cut samples, total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content, and total anthocyanin content were maintained in all the formats during storage (averaging 1.33 ± 0.04 g kg−1 ascorbic acid equivalents, 0.212 ± 0.01 g kg−1 gallic acid equivalents, and 0.03 ± 0.01 g kg−1 pelargonidine-3-glucoside). An increase in red color (from 32.1 to 39.3 a* values) and a loss of firmness of up to 46.8% was observed after the first month of frozen storage with no changes in the nutritional quality. Considering the sanitizing effect of water UV-C with peracetic acid (WUVPA) and the results obtained in the present study, the addition of this process in the production chain of strawberries could be an effective method to maintain the shelf life of the fruits, especially for fresh-cut strawberries.

Nutritional quality of bakery products enriched with alternative flours

This study assesses the nutritional quality of bakery products with the addition of alternative flours, derived from unconventional cereals or legumes, which have the potential to enrich products with essential nutrients. The growing demand for more nutritious bakery products has driven the search for alternatives to traditional wheat flours. However, including these flours can affect the taste, texture, and physicochemical characteristics of the final products, making it crucial to understand the impact of these substitutions on the nutritional quality of bakery products. The main objective is to evaluate the influence of incorporating alternative flours on the nutritional composition of the products. To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive literature review using renowned scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The selection of articles prioritized recent studies (last five years) and controlled experiments that evaluated the nutritional quality of bakery products enriched with alternative flours. The results indicated that the inclusion of alternative flours, such as amaranth and quinoa, resulted in a significant increase in protein, fiber, and mineral content in bakery products. There was also a diversification in the profiles of essential amino acids, contributing to the improvement of the protein quality of the final products. However, variations in sensory and textural characteristics were observed, suggesting the need for adjustments in formulations to optimize consumer acceptance. These findings offer valuable insights for the formulation of more nutritious and functional bakery products, promoting healthier and balanced eating.

Evaluation of Physical Characteristics and Impact of Germination on Functional Properties of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Background: Quinoa is a nutrient-dense pseudocereal with remarkable nutritional quality. It is a gluten-free crop that provides a balanced set of essential amino acids and possesses hypoglycemic and free fatty acid-lowering properties. Quinoa has gained popularity in the current era due to its tolerance to extreme weather conditions, nutritional composition and other industrial applications. Methods: The present study analyzed the physical and functional properties of quinoa using standard procedures and assessed the impact of germination on these properties. Germinated flour was developed by soaking quinoa seeds overnight and allowing for germination for 72 hours in an incubator at 20±2°C at 80-90% humidity. Germinated seeds were oven-dried at 60±2°C for 45 minutes, followed by grinding into flour and storing the flour in a dry and air-tight container for further analysis. Result: The study findings showed that quinoa seeds had good physical properties. All functional properties viz water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, emulsion and foaming properties of quinoa flour improved on germination except flour solubility. It is concluded that germination is a cost-effective processing technique for enhancing the functional properties of quinoa flour, so as to increase its industrial use for product development. Germinated quinoa flour can be utilized in the development of various infant formulas.

Effects of Dried Tea Residues of Different Processing Techniques on the Nutritional Parameters, Fermentation Quality, and Bacterial Structure of Silaged Alfalfa.

The effects of dried tea residues on the nutritional parameters and fermentation quality, microbial community, and in vitro digestibility of alfalfa silage were investigated. In this study, dried tea residues generated from five different processing techniques (green tea, G; black tea, B; white tea, W; Pu'er raw tea, Z; Pu'er ripe tea, D) were added at two addition levels (5% and 10% fresh weight (FW)) to alfalfa and fermented for 90 days. The results showed that the tea residues increased the crude protein (CP) content (Z10: 23.85%), true protein nitrogen (TPN) content, DPPH, and ABST radical scavenging capacity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the alfalfa silage. Moreover, the pH, ammonia-N (NH3-N) content, and acetic acid (AA) content decreased (p < 0.05). The effects of tea residues were promoted on these indicators with increasing tea residue addition. In addition, this study revealed that the influence of dried tea residues on the nutritional quality of alfalfa silage was greater than that on fermentation quality. Based on the nutrient composition, the addition of B or G to alfalfa silage can improve its silage quality, and these tea byproducts have the potential to be used as silage additives.