Citrus peels, often regarded as waste products in the food industry, hold significant potential for valorization due to their rich composition of bioactive compounds. The valorization process involves transforming these underutilized by-products into valuable ingredients for various applications, including functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

This study focuses on the valorization of citrus peels from oranges and lemons to develop functional food products. We conducted a comparative study by incorporating citrus peel powder and carotenoids extracted from these peels into shortbread biscuits, comparing them to synthetic colorants. Our physicochemical analyses revealed that incorporating peel powder enhances the nutritional quality of the biscuits, increasing their content of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and carotenoids. Our results indicated that the biscuit enriched with orange peel powder has a pH of 6.635, DPPH antioxidant activity of 92.59%, and carotenoid content of 1344.76 mg/ml.

Additionally, this research highlights the importance of citrus peels as natural sources of antioxidants, contributing to better human health. The findings also indicate significant potential for creating functional beverages from these by-products, which could reduce agro-industrial waste and promote sustainable resource use. Overall, these efforts pave the way for future research on optimizing processing methods and valorizing citrus peels, with positive implications for both the agro-industry and public health.

The rising interest in sustainable and health-focused diets has led to a growing demand for meat alternatives made from novel plant-based sources. Seaweed is an abundant marine resource rich in fiber, bioactive compounds, and functional nutrients, making it a promising candidate for alternative protein development. This study aimed to develop a functional meat analog using fermented seaweed as the core ingredient. Two types of edible red seaweeds, Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria sp., were subjected to solid-state fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus to improve their nutritional quality and reduce undesirable marine odors. The fermented biomass was incorporated into meatball prototypes using different proportions of seaweed and binding agents. The resulting products were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, texture profile (TPA), microbiological stability, and sensory attributes. Comparative analysis revealed that Kappaphycus-based formulations produced a firmer, more cohesive texture, while Gracilaria-based formulations yielded a softer texture with enhanced umami perception. Importantly, the optimized seaweed meatball achieved a protein content of approximately 18%, closely matching that of conventional meat products. Fermentation was found to significantly improve palatability by enhancing flavor and masking off-notes. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of using fermented seaweed as a sustainable, protein-rich base for meat analog products, supporting the development of clean-label, minimally processed foods that align with current consumer trends.

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are a staple food widely consumed in Mexico and around the world, offering numerous health benefits primarily due to their high content of protein, dietary fiber, and other components, including phenolic compounds, saponins, and phytosterols. Polyphenolic compounds have been linked to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, making them targeted beneficial phytochemicals in plant-based foods. Since beans are typically cooked before consumption, this research aimed to assess the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of cooked common beans in vitro. Beans were digested in vitro, and the colonic fraction was evaluated in RAW 264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 µg/mL) for 24 hours (post-treatment). Cooked flour contained 18.87% protein and 69.97% total carbohydrates, of which 85% was quantified as total dietary fiber. Gallic acid and (+)-catechin were the most abundant phenolic compounds in the colonic fraction, which showed antioxidant capacity as measured uing the ABTS and DPPH methods (4.65-7.66 µmol Trolox equivalents per gram of sample). When LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells were challenged with various concentrations of the extract, dilutions up to 30% v/v were not cytotoxic (metabolic activity > 80%) and significantly (p<0.05) reduced nitrite content by up to 60%. A blank of digestion (digested and fermented water, dissolved in DMEM) was also tested and showed no cytotoxic effects on the cells. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of cooked common bean flours make them a promising functional ingredient with potential health benefits.

Artichoke from the horticultural belt of La Plata, Argentina, has been granted a Geographical Indication status under the name "Alcachofas platenses". If allowed to bloom, artichoke flowers are an excellent raw material for vegetable rennet preparation due to their protease content. Proteolysis, the key biochemical event that occurs during cheese ripening, impacts texture, flavour, aroma, and physicochemical parameters. This work aims to study the total free amino acids (FAAs) released during the ripening of mini-cheeses made with artichoke flower extracts as the rennet.

Mini-cheeses were made using an enzymatic extract of C. scolymus flowers (Cs-cheeses) or recombinant chymosin (Q-cheeses, control) and cow's milk, with the addition of CaCl₂ and a mesophilic starter. Mini-cheeses were salted, vacuum-packed, and aged at 4 ºC for 1 month. Physicochemical parameters were evaluated. Soluble subfractions were prepared via the precipitation of cheese soluble extracts at pH 4.6 with 70% ethanol (FS70). FAAs were determined and quantified using HILIC on FS70 in a UHPLC coupled to a Quadrupole mass detector.

A higher moisture content and a higher wet matter/dry weight ratio were observed in Cs- cheese compared to the control, possibly due to the greater proteolytic activity of the vegetable rennet. The Cs-cheese FS70 showed higher FAA than the control. Gly, the most abundant amino acid in the Cs-cheese FS70 was not found in Q-cheese FS70. Other amino acids well represented in both FS70 cheeses were essential amino acids Leu and non-essential amino acids Tyr and Ser.

The higher proteolysis observed in Cs-cheese could explain the changes previously reported by us in microstructure, texture, and functional properties. The presence of Gly in Cs-cheese may contribute to its flavour profile, as glycine imparts a sweet taste and can attenuate perceptions of saltiness and bitterness. Using extracts obtained from artichoke flowers that were not harvested due to their visual appearance enabled the production of a semi-hard cheese exhibiting distinctive characteristics.

Detecting and quantifying gluten in food products is crucial for safeguarding individuals with gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Effective detection technology will safeguard against harm to consumers (food safety) and reduce the potential losses of the industry. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has emerged as a powerful tool for gluten detection, owing to its ability to capture both spatial and spectral data. However, the high cost, complexity, and need for expert operation have limited its accessibility, particularly for consumer-level applications. This study addresses these challenges by investigating the deep learning techniques used to reconstruct hyperspectral images from standard RGB images, making gluten detection and quantification feasible for handheld devices. In this study, corn flour (CF) samples were contaminated with varying concentrations of wheat flour (WF), ranging from 0 to 10% at 0.1% (0-0.24%) and 0.5% (2.5-10%) increments. HSI data were captured with a camera covering the 400–1000 nm range, while RGB images were obtained using the built-in camera of a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. To identify the most relevant spectral regions for gluten detection, ground-truth hyperspectral cubes were constructed using key wavelengths selected by feature selection algorithms. The study compared different hyperspectral reconstruction algorithms, including Hyperspectral Convolutional Neural Network-Dense (HSCNN-D) and High-Resolution Network (HRNET) for gluten detection and quantification. Performance was evaluated using metrics such as the mean relative absolute error, root mean square error, and peak signal-to-noise ratio. K-nearest neighbors (KNN) and Random Forest (RF) classifiers were applied to detect gluten sources, and RF regression was used to quantify gluten sources. KNN and RF achieved testing accuracies of 85.7% and 90.8%, respectively, for the HRNET model and above 80% in the HSCNN-D and other models. RF regression showed an R²p of 0.6 for HRNET and values above 0.5 for the other models.

Introduction:

As global food systems evolve and the population increases, there is increasing interest in alternative protein sources to meet the demands of a growing population. Rabbits are a good alternative animal protein source due to their high biological value protein, health benefits, and environmental sustainability. However, acceptance of rabbit meat is influenced by consumer perceptions. This study aimed to investigate consumers’ perceptions of rabbit meat at Amathole and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipalities.

Methods and Results:

Data was collected from 312 respondents using a questionnaire.

Most respondents (60.9%) had never consumed rabbit meat before the study. When respondents were asked what they associate rabbit meat with, the most frequent answer was hunting. Furthermore, most respondents (87.7%) who had previously eaten rabbit meat sourced it from hunting. Respondents were asked to state in what form they would like to purchase rabbit meat. About 36.5% of them would not buy rabbit meat in any form. However, rabbit meat was notably rejected when sold as whole carcasses (3.5%). This study found that most respondents (69.2%) would be encouraged to eat rabbit meat if they found it healthier than conventional meats. Other factors the respondents paid attention to when making purchasing decisions included price (61.9%) and packaging (52.9%). The lean nature of rabbit meat did not appeal to most respondents (52.9%). When consumers were asked to rate meat types according to their preference, rabbit meat received the lowest rating (x̄=1.88), while beef had the highest rating (x̄=3.75), followed by chicken (x̄=3.44), pork (x̄=3.41), and mutton (x̄=3.08).

Conclusion

Consumer perceptions influence meat purchasing decisions and strategic methods of promoting rabbit meat must be carefully adopted to encourage the consumption of rabbit meat in the Eastern Cape province.

Milk fat is characterized by its unique composition, particularly its high content of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (FAs), which sets it apart from other fats and oils. The standard method for accurately determining the fatty acid profile (FAP) of milk and dairy products—gas chromatography (GC)—is both time-consuming and involves the use of hazardous chemicals, typically requiring nearly two hours per sample even with a skilled operator. As a result, there is a growing interest in faster, alternative techniques. In recent years, spectroscopic methods, such as NMR, combined with multivariate data analysis have gained attention due to their significantly quicker turnaround and more user-friendly procedures.

This study examined the limitations of the current method used to determine the fatty acid profile of oils and fats using nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H- and ¹³C- NMR) spectroscopy. According to the literature, in the case of dairy fats, the signal at 0.96 ppm originates both from the butyric acid moiety and n-3 fatty acids like linolenic acid (C18:3). As a result, the widely accepted NMR-based method for profiling fatty acids in fats is unreliable for detecting adulterationin dairy products. It risks misidentifying linolenic acid as butyric acid, which can lead to adulterated samples being incorrectly classified as genuine milk fats. As an alternative, we propose new descriptors based on the integral ratios of signals corresponding to CH₂ groups relative to those associated with butyric and n-3 fatty acids. These new markers offer a more reliable approach for identifying adulterated dairy products.

Acknowledgement:

This work was supported by a grant of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-IV-P2-2.1-TE-2023-0756, within PNCDI IV.

In order to maintain their farming activities and to appropriately respond to the expectations of consumers and society, farmers are developing new ways to valorize their products. One of these ways consists of shortening the distance between producers and consumers by developing new strategies that allow for a direct producer–consumer relation, like the so-called short food supply chains (SFSCs).

When developing SFSCs, producers have to use new skills to manage and control all the steps involved in the processing, storing, marketing or transport of the end products they put on the market. Through the whole process, from rearing animals or growing crops to end products, the producer has to face many stakes related to those new activities. One of the main stakes is the management and control of food safety. Like all other food business operators, producers involved in SFSCs must respect the EU regulation on food safety (Food Law). Here, we focus on Article 6 of the Food Law and its application in SFSCs.

Article 6 deals with risk analysis, which consists of three successive actions: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The HACCP method (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is universal, and this report explores its utilization in SFSCs. The HACCP allows for a full analysis of the steps involved in the elaboration of end products, from the production of raw materials to commercialization. It is therefore a powerful tool for raising operators' awareness of the many hazards (physical, chemical, biological) that must be managed along the food chain, while also helping them to identify and apply proper good hygiene practices (GHPs). A better understanding and utilization of the HACCP will contribute to the improvement of the food safety culture (FSC), as is expected along the food chain.

Dried persimmon is an important agro-food product of South Korea. In recent years, export efforts, especially in Europe, have become critical due to the fact that production has far exceeded domestic demand. This review aims to examine the product characteristics and consumer appeal of Korean dried persimmons and to assess their potential for entry into the European market. A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Academic databases (Google Scholar and Scopus), country export publications and statistics, market reports, and product reviews in the market were used as data sources. Survey-based studies on European consumers' dried fruit taste, frequently consumed dried fruits, and dried fruit consumption habits were also examined. Data after 2020 were used. Sensory and health properties, cultural and brand value, packaging strategies, and market access restrictions were evaluated as main topics. Korean dried persimmons have distinct characteristics such as soft chewability, high nutritional value, and strong cultural identity. They exhibit sensory, textural, and health-beneficial properties that may be attractive to the consumer. However, factors such as cold chain requirements, geographical distance from Europe, use of sulfur preservatives, and low product awareness among European consumers may constitute disadvantages in market entry. The findings indicate that Korean-style dried persimmons may find a response in the European market, especially in the health-oriented consumer segment that is interested in different cultures and different tastes. It has been observed that the consumption of frozen, dried or semi-dried fruit is not a widespread culture in Europe. Therefore, eliminating the need for frozen storage may be advantageous. This product may have significant potential for entry into the European market, especially when positioned as a high-quality healthy snack. For this reason, it is important to abandon the additives used to preserve color.

Introduction: Non-coeliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is considerably more common than coeliac disease/wheat allergy, affecting _~13% of the population worldwide. It is characterized by gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms due to an immunological pathogenesis, the activation of monocytes/macrophages, and the release of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNFα).

Project aims:

• To test the impact of cereal proteins on inflammatory responses in a human cell line (THP-1) in vitro.
• To test whether adherence to a gluten-free diet improved gut symptoms and inflammatory responses in participants in a “before-and-after” dietary intervention.

Methods: We tested wheat proteins such as gluten/ATIs; wheat flour; quinoa, a non-wheat control; and LPS extracted in a PBS buffer, a positive control. We characterised these via SDS gel electrophoresis and HPLC. Protein-stimulated PMA-differentiated THP-1 cell lines were analysed for cytokine release using ELISA, RT-qPCR, and Flow Cytometry.

We conducted a human study [Northumbria University ethics approval registration no. 1723] with the inclusion criteria of pre-existing mild/moderate gastrointestinal symptoms; no dietary restrictions; and no major health issues. Participants (n=15) were recruited for an ongoing, four-week intervention study of a gluten-free diet. Their gut symptomology was analysed using 24h dietary recall via intake24 to assess their dietary inflammatory index and questionnaires.

Results:

To date, the ELISA results have shown that gluten and ATI showed a significant increase over the baseline (p<0.0001), except for in regard to TNFα.

The RNA transcripts for the IL-8 cytokines were tested using RT-qPCR. The ∆∆ Cт values for ATI showed a significantly different response to that of LPS (ATI, ∆∆ Cт =1.32; LPS, ∆∆ Cт =0.90), suggesting the expression of RNA for cytokines after protein stimulation.

Flow cytometry data showed the expression of MHC class II molecules on the surface of the stimulated THP-1 cell lines, with the highest mean fluorescence intensity values for ATI compared to those for LPS (ATI_mfi =7843; LPS_mfi =6916).

Conclusions: Our in vitro findings showed inflammatory responses to specific cereal proteins. These provide a mechanistic insight into NCWS and will inform future human feeding trials.