This study investigated the covalent conjugation of hemp protein isolate (HPI) with curcumin induced by ultrasound-generated free radicals and its impact on HPI's structural and functional properties. Ultrasound treatment unfolded the protein structure, increased free amino and sulfhydryl groups, and altered the secondary structure. Curcumin addition enhanced free radical scavenging capacity. Conjugation with curcumin significantly improved emulsifying activity index (+ 2.6-fold), foam stability (+ 1.8-fold), and solubility (+ 0.9-fold) and further enhanced free radical scavenging capability (+ 2.4 or 2.7-fold). Conjugation with curcumin also enabled gel formation, as evidenced by a continuous increase in the storage modulus of HPI during heating and cooling. These findings highlight the potential of HPI-curcumin conjugates as healthy ingredients in functional food applications.

This study introduces a novel approach for developing composite packaging films by incorporating fatty acid (FA), specifically palmitic acid, into hausa potato starch modified through the plasma-activated water assisted annealing (PAW-ANN). FA incorporation into the PAW-ANN starch matrix (FA-PAHF) resulted in smoother film surfaces, increased relative crystallinity. FT-IR revealed additional peaks at 2843 cm and 1706 cm confirming the esterification. The FA-PAHF films exhibited reduced permeability for water vapors and oxygen along with an increase in tensile strength compared to native films. These modifications effectively created a stronger and more moisture-resistant film. The application of coatings (CFA-PAHF) to figs significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) weight loss and minimized changes in pH, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity, maintaining the fruits' texture and quality throughout storage. The results suggest that FA-PAHF films offer a viable, safe, and sustainable alternative for extending the shelf life of perishable fruits.

Soybean glycinin (11S)-debranched starch (DBS) conjugate particles rapidly form stable, biocompatible high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs, φ = 0.8) with slow-digestion properties in 15 s, overcoming limitations of transport dynamics and interfacial performance. The high contact angle of 11S-DBS particles at the oil-water interface enhances interfacial performance, and kinetic analysis of droplet size and particle adsorption provides insight into rapid adsorption kinetics during emulsion formation. The high molecular flexibility (0.233) of 11S-DBS particles further elucidates their interfacial behavior. The ratio of 11S to DBS affects not only interfacial properties but also droplet size, zeta potential, rheological properties, and encapsulation efficiency. Lissajous plot analysis revealed differences in viscoelasticity, while confocal microscopy confirmed microstructure and particle distribution. The HIPPEs exhibited excellent physical and storage stability, with high encapsulation efficiency and slow-digestion behavior, demonstrating their potential for applications in food, medical delivery systems, and advanced materials.

The feasibility of developing nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) based on coconut oil (CO) was analyzed by studying the crystallization behavior of bulk and emulsified CO in the presence of diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM) and glycerol monostearate (GM). Supercooling was almost halved compared to pure CO, and crystallization began at higher temperatures due to the seed effect of the emulsifiers. A significant difference in the crystallization enthalpy (ΔH) of CO was observed. Consequently, the solid fat content decreased to only 63-66 % when CO was emulsified. Both pure and emulsified CO crystallized in the β'-2 polymorph. The Avrami model showed reduced crystal dimensionality in CO-emulsifier blends and emulsions. NLCs derived from CO emulsions formulated with GM as emulsifier were most suitable due to the absence of flocculation, reduced CO crystallization, and melting above 37 °C.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a typical plasticizer with toxicity and potential carcinogenicity, is facing analytical challenges in complex edible oil matrices. A selective and cost-effective dispersive solid-phase microextraction (DSPME) was established by employing ionic liquid (IL)-functionalized ZIF-8 nanocomposites as adsorbing materials in detecting dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from edible oil. The selectivity and affinity of nanocomposites for DBP were remarkably improved by optimizing the types of ILs and the coating procedures. Adsorption kinetics, isotherm model, and possible adsorption mechanism were determined, and selectivity was clarified further. After optimization, a good linearity was observed over a broad range of 10-500.0 μg L with low LOD (0.73 μg L), low LOQ (2.44 μg L), great reproducibility (intra-day: 0.70-2.27 %; inter-day: 0.17-2.84 %), and achieved high recoveries in real oil systems (86.76-109.95 %) with RSD ≤ 4.31 %. This work offers a novel strategy for synthesizing and producing purpose-specific nanocomposites for selectively detecting pollutants in food.

Based on INFOGEST digestion model and Dynamic Human Stomach-Intestine in vitro (DHSI-IV), the content of free amino acids (FAAs) and peptides in yeast protein (YP) digestion products were analyzed, as well as the molecular weight distribution of digestive products. The transport and absorption of FAAs and peptides from YP static digestive products were studied by Caco-2 cells monolayer model. The highest content of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs) were highlighted during YP digestion. The digestibility of YP (97.66 %) was close to that of whey protein isolate (WPI), slightly higher than pea protein (PP), but significantly higher than soy protein isolate (SPI) (p < 0.05). More FAAs of YP were released in static digestion (755.40 mg/g) than in dynamic digestion (28.34 mg/g). Accordingly, more peptides of YP were released in dynamic digestion (433.76 mg/g) than in static digestion (44.44 mg/g). The intestinal phase released more FAAs and peptides than the gastric phase both static and dynamic digestion for these four proteins. Molecular weight distribution proportion of digestion products with <150 Da of the four proteins exceeded 50 %. After the absorption and transport, the absorption rate of FAAs for YP (92.75 %) was slightly lower than that of WPI. Large molecular weight peptides (>1000 Da) were not easily absorbed, and the highest distribution ratio of molecular weight with <150 Da (mainly FAAs) was detected. These proved that YP is the protein with a good quality, such as high digestive and absorption properties, which could be used as a beneficial supplement and partial replacement of animal and plant protein sources.

This study developed a novel microencapsulation system using hempseed protein isolate (HPI) for the targeted delivery of Lactobacillus reuteri DPC16 and Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) leaf extracts to the human gut. The physicochemical properties, morphology, and probiotic survivability were evaluated. The optimized formulation demonstrated the highest encapsulation efficiency (EE) under in vitro gastrointestinal simulation (GITS) and during a 120-day storage period at -20 °C, 4 °C, and 25 °C. The HPI/CP formulation, at a 9:1 (w/w) ratio, achieved the highest encapsulation efficiency (EE) and maintained a 93.06 % survival rate for encapsulated L. reuteri DPC16. After GITS, encapsulated L. reuteri DPC16 showed significantly higher viability (7.2 log CFU/g) than free cells (5.5 log CFU/g) (p < 0.05). Confocal laser microscopy confirmed its robust survivability in the HPI/CP (9:1) matrices, with viability remaining above 10 CFU/g after 120 days. These findings highlight the potential of HPI and CP formulations for developing functional foods and nutraceuticals with enhanced probiotic stability and survivability.

We designed and synthesized a flexible Au@PB@Ag NPs-CFs surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with self-calibration functionality. Compared to traditional core-shell structured substrates with internal standards, our proposed substrate, which fully encapsulates a Prussian Blue (PB) layer, exhibits dual electromagnetic enhancement effects on both the PB self-calibration signal and the pesticide signal due to the localized surface plasmon resonance within the silver shell cavity. The results show that after signal calibration, the relative standard deviation decreased from 30.34 % to 11.24 %. The water-dispersible Au@0.8 PB@Ag NPs loaded on chitosan demonstrated extremely high sensitivity for the detection of alcohol-soluble pesticides thiram and thiabendazole, with detection limits as low as 0.015 μM and 0.098 μM, respectively. Additionally, due to the substrate's flexibility and excellent uniformity, it effectively addresses the "coffee ring" effect and enables quantitative detection through direct swabbing, with spiked recovery rates ranging from 81 % to 116.6 %.

Secondary metabolites and saccharides are responsible for antioxidant activity and flavor of Chrysanthemi flos (CF). However, the flavor antioxidant compounds of CF and their intermolecular interactions remain unclear. Here, we primarily employed in silico methods to identify CF antioxidants. After characterizing by physicochemical properties, FT-NIR and HPLC fingerprint, the "spectrum-effect" fusion correlation was established to select the spectral features of CF antioxidants. Quercetagitrin (QU), chlorogenic acid (CA) and saccharides fragments were clarified based on their characteristic spectrum. The antioxidant efficacy as well as the sweet and bitter taste of these compounds were verified by molecular docking. Quantum chemical calculations demonstrated that non-covalent interactions dominant facilitated the stable existence of CF antioxidants. The most significant binding types between CA, QU and saccharides fragments were hydrogen bonding. These results indicate a novel approach and theoretical support to discovery of new information pertinent to the bioactive compounds related to CF or other tea.

In order to synthesize green, low-toxicity, and novel antifungal agents. In this study, a rosin-based bisquaternary ammonium salt (Rbs) was synthesized using rosin amine and evaluated for its antifungal activity against F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum, F. graminearum, V. mali, P. capsica and A. solani. The results show that compared to benzalkonium bromide, Rbs has stronger inhibitory activity against five types of fungi, with the best activity against V. mali (EC = 3.071 μg/mL), and has excellent sustained antifungal activity. In vivo tests have shown that Rbs has significant protective and therapeutic effects on apples. Using SEM, TEM, relative membrane permeability and density functional theory calculations, we found that Rbs causes organelle and cell membrane disruption, leading to leakage of cell contents and ultimately cell death. In addition, mouse toxicology showed that the toxicity of Rbs was low. These studies provide theoretical guidance for the development of subsequent fungicides.

This paper presents the first bibliometric review on the application of smartphone-based digital images in food matrices, conducted specifically using the Bibliometrix package in R. Although there are already reviews on the topic, this is the first to employ a quantitative approach based on bibliometric methods, analyzing 125 articles published between 2013 and 2024 and identified in the Web of Science. The retrieved works were written by 431 researchers and published in 38 journals across 33 countries, demonstrating an annual growth rate of 45.92 %. The results reveal that a substantial portion of the articles focus on adulteration detection and substance quantification in a practical, cost-effective, and accessible manner. More than 60 % of the studies did not use chemometric tools. Among the studies that did, the most frequently employed were Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR).

A closed-block digestion method using diluted HNO and detection by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was applied to determine inorganic constituents in different types of paprika (Capsicum annuum L.). The optimized conditions for decomposition were 0.25 g of sample, 2 mL HNO (65 % m m), 2 mL HO (30 % m m), and 4 mL of deionized water at 180 °C for 2 h. The method presented the final digests with low dissolved organic carbon content and residual acid concentration. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.07 (Sr and V) to 21 μg g (Ca). The proposed method was applied to quantify Ba, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Sr, V, and Zn in 25 paprika samples commercially available in Brazil. The PCA and HCA showed sample dispersion without defined grouping, regardless of the type of paprika, containing a uniformity between their mineral composition.

An efficient and facile nitrite (NO) detection system was developed using FeO@Au-Cu/MOF, which was manufactured through self-assembly as the nanozyme, and a PEDOT:PSS/RGO thin film produced by chemical synthesis as the counter electrode, in conjunction with smartphone-based colorimetry. The FeO@Au-Cu/MOF nanozyme exhibits remarkable catalytic efficiency and can significantly enhance the conversion of NO. PEDOT:PSS/RGO films exhibit outstanding electron transport and electrochromic properties. The color of PEDOT:PSS/RGO films can be modified by applying voltage and the electronic current generated by NO within the reaction system. The colorimetric assessment of film color alteration using a smartphone, supplemented by electrochemical validation. Under ideal conditions, the sensor detected NO within a linear range of 0.01 to 100 mmol/L and exhibited a detection limit of 3.37 μmol/L. This method demonstrated no significant difference compared to the results obtained using the electrochemical method and was effectively employed for the detection of NO in real samples.

This study investigated the effects of pre-cooking and freezing on the colour stability, changes of chlorophylls and organic acids during re-cooking and 4-h heating of pakchoi. Pre-cooked and stored pakchoi exhibited yellowish-brown discolouration upon cooking, especially in the stalks, with green values (-a) 42.53 %, 34.50 %, and 49.81 % lower than the unpre-cooked, unstored, or neither counterparts, respectively. Pre-cooking expedited the production of pheophytins and pyropheophytin a, which contribute to poor appearance, during brief cooking. Throughout processing, pre-cooking potentially facilitated leaf chlorophyll a demagnesiation by promoting oxalic, citric, and malic acid dissociation, while enhancing the correlations of stalk fumaric and oxalic acids with pheophytins. Additionally, pre-cooking accelerated stalk pyropheophytin a accumulation, leading to faster discolouration. Storage primarily affected stalk colour during brief cooking by accelerating pheophytin a formation. The findings offer the possibility of improving the colour quality of frozen leafy green vegetable products by focusing on key chlorophyll derivatives.

Curcuma, a key ingredient in curry and a popular health supplement, has been subject to adulteration and fraudulent origin labeling. In this study, E-eye, Flash GC e-nose, and FT-NIR, combined with machine learning and multivariate algorithms, were employed for origin identification and quantitative prediction of curcuma constituents. The results indicated that E-eye performed poorly in origin classification, while Flash GC e-nose identified flavor markers distinguishing curcuma from different origins but lacked precise quantification. After processing the FT-NIR spectra with SNV, the accuracy of three machine learning models, including SVM, increased from 83.3 % to 100 %. Additionally, PLSR models for three constituents, including curcumin, achieved mean R values exceeding 0.99 in both training and prediction sets, demonstrating excellent linearity and predictive accuracy. Overall, the study demonstrated that FT-NIR combined with multivariate algorithms provides an effective and feasible method for rapid origin identification and quality assessment of curcuma.

This study employed mid-infrared attenuated total reflection (ATR-MIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics to monitor the submerged fermentation process of Tremella fuciformis (T. fuciformis). It investigated the effects of four different preprocessing methods on the performance of both the qualitative identification and the quantitative prediction models. The qualitative model, which employed unsupervised learning via Principal Component Analysis (PCA), analyzed ATR-MIR data, physicochemical parameters, and rheological parameters, clearly delineating distinct fermentation stages. The supervised Random Forest (RF) model optimized input variables through feature importance selection and PCA, achieving a classification accuracy of 97.5%. The quantitative model, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), demonstrated strong predictive performance for reducing sugar, total sugar, tremella polysaccharide, and dry cell weight, with low root mean square error and high R values. This ATR-MIR spectroscopy-based chemometrics model offers valuable insights for food science and holds the potential for optimizing tremella polysaccharide production through precise fermentation control.

A systematic extraction protocol involving multiple oil body washing with buffers of NaHCO₃ (pH 10), NaCl, and urea was investigated, and the enrichment of α-helix-rich hydrophobic proteins were monitored by the spectroscopic techniques, while the isolated proteins were identified as oleosin with a relative content of 81.05 %. Dot-blot analysis revealed the allergenicity was enhanced at 150 °C compared to the unroasted state, followed by a decline at 180 °C. SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography showed the formation of higher molecular weight aggregates during roasting, while spectroscopy methods indicated a complex process of protein unfolding, folding, and re-unfolding, along with secondary structure modifications. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated structural alterations and flexibility changes, especially at the N- and C-terminal domains of oleosins, within the phospholipid membrane. Protein-protein docking demonstrated the strong self-association of oleosins after roasting. This study offers theoretical reference for deeper understanding of the structural alterations of sesame oleosins post-roasting.

Yellow tomato (YT) is rich in nutrients and unique in flavour, its functional components need to be explored. Herein, we developed a fermented YT sauce product to explore its metabolic characteristics and probiotic potential. Results showed that YT paste had more functional components than red tomato one. The main metabolites of YT paste included Pro-Val-Glu-Thr-Leu, hypochlorous acid-3-sulfate and naringin, etc. During the fermentation of YT paste, its taste became richer. After fermentation, significant changes occurred in the metabolites of YT paste, with 306 metabolites significantly up-regulated, including β-galactosidase, S-phenyl-L-cysteine and S-adenosylmethionine and 34 oligopeptides, etc. The significant metabolic pathways involved were ABC transport, niacin and nicotinamide metabolism. The results of this study are expected to provide a reference for the deep processing and industrial development of YT.

Tartary buckwheat is a protein-rich pseudocereal. This research developed an efficient method for extracting antioxidant peptides from buckwheat. Alkaline hydrolysis of buckwheat albumin protein produced antioxidant peptides with higher extraction efficiency and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). LC-MS/MS analysis identified 1284 novel antioxidant peptide sequences. Computational screening identified 16 peptides with high abundance and superior antioxidant capacity. Molecular docking and quantum chemical calculations determined WPWR, FLQL, and HGLFSPF as the peptides with the highest bioactivity. Among these, WPWR demonstrated excellent in vitro antioxidant activity and was successfully applied in peptide-polysaccharide composite preservation films, effectively extending the shelf life of strawberries, highlighting the potential of Tartary buckwheat-derived antioxidant peptides for advanced food preservation technology.

Food irradiation on an industrial scale calls for the development of rapid and inexpensive methods for the dose estimation after irradiation. An emerging solution to this problem is a reaction-based optical sensing strategy that is based on monitoring dose-dependent indicator reactions. In this study, raw chicken breast samples from three producers were irradiated with 1 MeV accelerated electrons, extracted with water for 24 h, and introduced into reactions of carbocyanine dyes with HO or hypochlorite. The absorbance and fluorescence of the reaction mixtures in different spectral ranges were measured photographically as a function of time. Supervised machine learning methods allowed to confidently discriminate between the samples irradiated with 250, 1000, and 5000 Gy and non-irradiated samples provided that the samples irradiated with known doses were from the same producers as the unknown ones. Dose estimation for samples from an unknown producer could be implemented by constructing a database using samples from a larger number of producers.

Since the 2000's, the development of fresh mushroom off-flavor (FMOff) in wines has been a recurring problem stemming from fungal alteration on grapes. Known mushroom flavors like 1-octen-3-one do not fully explain this defect appearance during winemaking. This study aimed to identify relevant analytical markers in musts and wines to early classify the quality of these oenological matrices. Musts made with grapes naturally affected by grey mold as an apparent alteration and their corresponding wines were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Two compounds were identified and correlated well with the development of FMOff in wines: 1-hydroxyoctan-3-one and octane-1,3-diol. The latter was identified for the first time in oenological matrices and could be derived from 1-hydroxyoctan-3-one through yeast metabolism. Both markers enabled the formal discrimination of musts with FMOff potential and FMOff wines from control samples. This provides a fast and reliable diagnostic tool for winemakers.