Nowadays, the development of functional food products including probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, which have an important role in the diet in terms of protecting and/or improving human health, come into prominence. Among those, synbiotics as a combination of probiotics and prebiotics have a synergetic health-promoting influence. In this regard, synbiotic foods mainly include dairy and non-dairy food products, such as confectioneries or unfermented beverages. However, there are limited studies in the literature regarding the potential synbiotic combinations in baked goods particularly bread as a staple food.

Up to now, the most commonly used probiotic bacteria in potential synbiotic combinations in bread are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which belong to Lactobacillaceae family and also Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium longum which are species of Bifidobacteriaceae family. However, one of the main challenges in the production of synbiotic bread is generally related to the heat sensitivity of probiotic bacteria during the baking process. To protect the probiotic bacteria regarding their viability and stability during the heating process, they should be encapsulated and then added to the food structure, or should be covered with an edible film/coating on the bread crust structure. In addition, PRO-PRE co-encapsulation, in other terms co-delivery or co-entrapment, of probiotics with prebiotics is a promising application regarding both stability and viability of living probiotics. In this regard, the mostly utilized wall materials which have prebiotic potential are high-amylose maize starch (Hi-maize), chitosan, and some hydrocolloids such as pectin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, gellan gum, tragacanth gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for preparing co-encapsulated probiotic bacterial strains. Similarly, probiotic incorporation was also conducted by prebiotic edible films/coating using some hydrocolloids such as gellan gum and konjac glucomannan. Moreover, recently it is revealed that some probiotic microorganisms particularly Bacillus coagulans, could be also a promising solution in accordance with this purpose. Similarly, although Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii is the only probiotic yeast and is used in several different food products, there is no study in the literature based on it as a probiotic source of synbiotic combinations in bread, as far as we know. On the other hand, inulin is the major directly-utilized prebiotic source in potential synbiotic combinations in bread.

To sum up, the following studies should focus on the survival of more probiotic microorganisms, especially Bacillus coagulans and Saccharomyces boulardii, optimization of different encapsulation techniques, wall materials, film/coatings together with different types and concentrations of prebiotic sources used in other cereal-based food products, and also in gluten-free bread. Moreover, the viability of probiotics with prebiotics which are used directly, or as a wall material for encapsulation or edible film/coating should be assessed from a holistic perspective regarding the nutritional, technological, and sensorial properties of bread.

Natural pigments in foodstuffs are important when it comes to their choice. A good biotechnological alternative is to produce red pigmented flour by fermentation on solid substrate for use as an input in the food industry. In the present study, the colour and carbon:nitrogen ratio of M. purpureus pigmented quinoa flours supplemented with monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sodium chloride were evaluated during 14 days of fermentation. The MSG concentration was 1.0%, and the salt levels were 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4%. Flour colour was analysed with a colourimeter (CM-5, Konica Minolta, Japan) for L*, a* and b* values. A completely randomised statistical design with n=4 was used to compare the data and the results obtained were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with an α = 0.05 using the R software. The best values corresponded to the eighth day, with L*, a*, b* and C:N of 49.55±1.684, 19.85±1.174, 19.90±0.775 and 11.306±0.258 respectively. This research demonstrated that the pigmented flour produced by solid-state fermentation of quinoa by M. purpureus supplemented with monosodium glutamate and sodium chloride showed variations of red colour along with C:N ratio during the fermentation time, resulting in a product with good visual sensory attribute that can be used to develop new naturally pigmented products with possible functional characteristics.

Legumes are functional foods that offer significant potential for improving health and nutrition. However, there are several barriers that limit the widespread consumption of legumes despite their numerous health benefits and nutrient density. This presentation focuses on scientifically sound strategies to address these barriers and increase the intake of legumes in the context of functional foods, nutrition and health.

One of the innovative strategies discussed concerns legume pre-processing methods, such as soaking, sprouting and pulsed electric field technology. These methods effectively reduce anti-nutritional factors in pulses and cooking time, thus improving their digestibility. In addition, extrusion technology enables the development of functional food products enriched with pulses, expanding the possibilities of using pulses beyond traditional preparations.

Culinary techniques play an important role in making pulses more palatable and versatile. For instance, incorporating legumes into salads, sprouts, stews, soups, hummus and homemade desserts with legume flour can increase the palatability of these foods.

The presentation highlights the nutritional and health benefits associated with the consumption of legumes, emphasising their functional properties and their potential to support specific health outcomes. It also explores the role of nutrition education and awareness-raising campaigns in promoting legumes, considering their impact on sustainable food choices and environmental sustainability.

The integration of scientific knowledge, culinary experience and educational approaches can contribute to greater acceptance and use of legumes as functional foods. This, in turn, can improve health and nutrition outcomes. The presentation also explores the scientific evidence supporting the role of legumes in the treatment of specific health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and gastrointestinal health. Furthermore, it analyses the bioactive compounds present in legumes and their mechanisms of action, highlighting the potential in the development of functional foods targeted at specific health problems. Finally, the synergistic effects of legumes in combination with other functional ingredients, such as herbs, spices and probiotics, are explored to further enhance their functional properties.

This research aims to improve the quality of dried okra powder using microwave vacuum drying (MVD) compared to hot air drying (HD) at 70˚C with 1.5 m/s of velocity. Results showed that MVD at 3 W/g, -600 mmHg reduced the drying time by 75% compared to HD. Among several thin-layer models, the Modified Henderson & Pabis was found to be the best for explaining the drying characteristic of okra. Based on Fick’s model, the effective moisture diffusivity (D_eff) of the okra dried by MVD was 1.1913 × 10^-8 m²s^-1, higher than that by HD. Dried okra from MVD had less total density (p < 0.05) than HD. Moreover, the a* and b* values of the MVD okra powder were lower than those of HD, similar to fresh okra. The MVD okra powder had higher total polyphenol content and DPPH radical scavenging activity than HD and was close to fresh okra.

Consumers are showing increasing awareness of the concept of ‘functional foods’: foods which can provide health benefits in addition to their nutritional value. There is particular demand for foods with a high antioxidant and phenolic content, which may improve cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation and slow or prevent the onset of chronic, non-communicable diseases. However, there is a lack of comprehensive databases using consistent analytical protocols to analyse the antioxidant and phenolic content of different food types – particularly in regional areas such as Australia. Over the past four years, our laboratory has analysed over 1,000 food-related samples using several antioxidant capacity assays (ferric reducing antioxidant power – FRAP – and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity – CUPRAC), as well as the total phenolic content (TPC) by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Here, we provide a summary of this data by different food types, to inform researchers, policy planners, nutritionists and consumers about the typical levels of antioxidants and total phenolics found across a range of Australian foodstuffs, particularly grains. Additionally, we discuss observations on the correlation between the FRAP, CUPRAC and TPC assays.

Monascus purpureus is a fungus that has been of interest to the food industry for several centuries due to its pigment production, which in turn is related to different environmental parameters, including the supplements added to the fermentation. In the present study, the effect of fish hydrolysate and sodium chloride on the colour of flour from quinoa grains fermented with M. purpureus was analysed. The colour of each flour sample produced in the fermentation was evaluated by colorimetry in CIELAB space (L*, a*, b*), and the carbon:nitrogen ratio was also analysed. The levels used for the sodium chloride factor were 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.40% and fish hydrolysate at 1.0%. The values obtained were compared with a completely randomised design (CRD) and analysed by ANOVA with a significance level of 0.05 using the R software. The minimum solid fermentation time was found to be eight days, since by then the results of L* (44.66±0.532), a* (20.27±0.323), b* (17.89±1.342), C:N (11.047±0.240) yielded the best values for the production of red flour, using a concentration of 0.05% NaCl and 1.0% fish hydrolysate. The results showed that there is an effect of fish hydrolysate and sodium chloride in increasing the red colour of quinoa flour fermented by M. purpureus. This work opened up the possibility that quinoa flour, as a substrate pigmented by this fungus, could be used as raw material in the elaboration of other food products.

This research aimed to develop high-fiber yogurt using dietary fiber from the regenerated pomelo albedo fiber (RPF). The 3 × 3 Factorial in CRD experiment was conducted by varying the ratio between pomelo rind fiber and distilled water (1:4, 1:6, and 1:8) and the concentration of phosphoric acid 85% (20%, 40%, and 60%) for the RPF, then they dried by a spray drying process. The PF was 1:6 and 20% phosphoric acid, resulting in optimal RPF powder. The RPF had water absorption index of 0.78% and viscosity of 14.20 cP. A CRD experiment was conducted to find the optimal RPF content (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12%) in yogurt. It was found that consumers accepted yogurt with 6% RPF with 3% sugar. The developed yogurt had a pH of 4.46. The viscosity was 54.2 cP, the water separation was 19.6%, and the L*, a*, and b* values ​​were 84.1, 3.0 and 7.7 respectively. It had a moderate liking score (7.1), with 94% of consumers (n=100) accepting the product and 87% interested in buying the developed yogurt. The developed yogurt contained more than 5 g of dietary fiber per 1 serving, which can be claimed as a high-fiber product as recommended by the FDA

Despite innovative approaches to urban food production, scepticism towards vertical crops remains widespread, posing profitability risks for agricultural enterprises. To overcome these challenges and develop successful business models, identifying consumer acceptance barriers is crucial for engaging stakeholders, investors, and farmers in local food production. Introducing innovative food production methods, like vertical farming, is essential to gain public approval. However, recent technological advancements, such as genetically modified crops and artificial radiation, have been met with uncertainty, leaving overall consumer opinions about vertical farming uncertain.

In this context, the propose of this paper is to analyse Italian consumers’ acceptance of vertical farming systems and products, aiming to understand the main drivers influencing their intentions to purchase. The research, conducted in Italy from April to May 2023, gathered qualitative and quantitative data through an anonymous online questionnaire completed by potential consumers.

A total of 258 respondents were eligible for data analysis. The survey assessed participants' knowledge, attitudes towards agriculture and food, and perceptions of vertical farming using Likert scale evaluations.

Findings showed that, although a large proportion of respondents expressed interest in purchasing vertical farming products, concerns related to cost, authenticity, and environmental sustainability pose challenges. The evidences that emerged provides a series of indications to understand more in-depth consumer preferences and useful suggestions for companies that need to expand the vertical farming products market.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are high reactive molecules involved in many physiological processes and have been associated with many diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.
Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in discovering natural antioxidants for use in food and medicinal materials to replace synthetic antioxidants since such antioxidants are being restricted due to their side effects like carcinogenicity.
Many studies suggested on medicinal plants have supported the idea that plant constituents with antioxidant activity are capable of exerting protective effects against oxidative stress in biological systems.
Laurus nobilis L. (bay leaves) which commonly known since ancient times as daphne tree, belongs to Lauraceae family, being a native plant from the Mediterranean region. It’s a plant of industrial importance, used extensively in the food industry as well as in drugs and cosmetics.
There are many investigations on antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil obtained from Laurus nobilis L. However, in Morocco still almost little work has been done about phytochemical screening, polyphenolic compounds and antioxidants activity of this important plant.
In this study, we have determined phytochemical compounds include tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins with different standard phytochemical methods. Total phenolic was estimated by Foline-ciocalteu method, total flavonoid content was determined by colorimetric method. Hydroacetonic (70% acetone) and hydroalcoolic extracts (70% ethanol) with maceration for one hour at room temperature with stirring werre also monitored by their antioxidant ability by using different in vitro methods (DPPH and ABTS). These preliminary results suggest that Laurus nobilis L., is a promising source of natural products including phenols, flavonoids and antioxidants that could offer protection against oxidative stress, and can reduce free radicals and prevent chronic diseases.

Sensory linguistics and food science meet in the field of consumer studies. Glossaries of emotions and tools for measuring feelings related to food consumption are being developed in order to understand consumer preferences, and to gain insight to be used in targeted product development and marketing. Although there are lexicons and tools for measuring emotions in various languages, they are none in Greek, leading to reduced competitiveness of Greek products and companies. As is the trend in cross-cultural studies, for the present study an English emotion measurement tool was translated into Greek. The consumers with whom the translated tool was tested reported that many of the emotions contained were inappropriate for the task. Thus, the need to develop a lexicon in Greek from scratch was identified. Following the methodology for the development of EsSense Profile (King & Meiselman, 2010) an established commercial measurement tool, input from consumers was collected using questionnaires of various forms and for a variety of foods and beverages. Additionally, language sources were used for the development of the new Greek tool. The World Wide Web and Instagram were also used as linguistic resources, a practice that does not belong to standard methodology but follows current literature. The new emotion lexicon was used as a measurement tool and compared with a broadly used measurement tool that contains emoji.

References

King, S. C., & Meiselman, H. L. (2010). Development of a method to measure consumer emotions associated with foods. Food Quality and Preference, 21(2), 168–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2009.02.005