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Almond hulls can be used as an inexpensive source of nutrients for producing fungi that can be used as nontraditional foods such as alternative protein, probiotics, and food ingredients. Nutrients were extracted from almond hulls using hot water and their utility in cultivating filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori(A. awamori) in submerged cultivation was investigated using batch fermentation in flasks with passive aeration. The almond hulls extract supplied all the nutrients required for A. awamorigrowth. The uptake preference of various sugars was investigated and the growth kinetic parameters of A. awamoriwere determined. Utilization of sugars by A. awamorigrown in almond hull extract proceeded sequentially with preference for glucose followed by sucrose, fructose, and then xylose. Compared to potato dextrose broth medium, the fungal biomass produced using almond hull extract as growth medium had higher protein (19.59%) and lower fat (1.50%) contents. The modified Gompertz model described the kinetics of A. awamoriwell with a lag phase of 0.18 days and a specific growth rate of 1.77 d−1. This study explored the potential of almond hulls used as a cheap substrate for edible filamentous fungal biomass production. Sugars and other nutrients were extracted from almond hulls by hot water. Aspergillus awamoriwas able to utilize all the four types of sugar in almond hull extract. The modified Gompertze model was found to fit the fungal growth kinetics well. Fungi cultivated in almond hull extract had higher protein content and lower fat content than those cultivated from a commercial medium.

The milling quality and grade of rice are typically appraised by milling and inspecting samples collected from a rice lot following US Department of Agriculture (USDA) official procedures using a laboratory mill, which should represent milling quality and grade results of rice milled in commercial mills. The objective of this study was to assess whether the official USDA laboratory mill and procedures provide consistent results with those obtained from commercial mills. The results showed that the laboratory mill with the official standard procedures had significantly higher (p< .05) total milled rice yield (TRY) (1.6 percentage points) and head rice yield (HRY) (2.6 percentage points), but lower whiteness index (4.4 units) on average than those of commercial mills. The average TRYs of laboratory‐milled rice of long, medium, and short‐grain varieties were 1.8, 1.7, and 1.0 percentage points higher than those from the commercial operations. The milling characteristics of pureline and hybrid rice differed between official standard mills and commercial mills. If the rice samples were milled to the same whiteness as the official standard procedures, the TRYs and HRYs could be close to the results from the commercial mills. This study provides important information that could be used to improve the consistency and accuracy of rice quality assessment of laboratory mills following the official procedures and assure that milling results are comparable to those of commercial milling processes.

Fruits and vegetables are healthy and essential foods in both fresh and processed forms. Processing of these commodities is important to preserve their quality, increase their value, and stabilize and [...]

Growing interest and heightened consumer demand for safe and healthy foods have continued to spur the development of innovative food processing technologies. Over the past decade, our research team at [...]

Cells cultivated in bioreactors offer many possibilities for the production of novel and nutritious food products. Scientific and technological advances in cellular agriculture and processing technologies have allowed for the development of new techniques to utilize in vitroanimal cells, plant cells, and microorganisms to mimic the organoleptic and nutritional properties of traditional foods as well as to potentially develop entirely new product classes. This review compiles and discusses the state-of-the-art cellular production and processing systems including 3D printing of customizable cell-cultivated food products. In addition to the technological state-of-the art, this article reviews the nutritional characteristics of cell-cultivated foods, introduces examples of new food products, and compiles economic characteristics and environmental impacts of each production system as assessed through technoeconomic analyses and lifecycle assessments. The factors influencing consumer acceptance of cell-cultivated foods are articulated and the potential implications of these new technologies on traditional agricultural industries and food chains are discussed. Lastly, future research and development trajectories are introduced with suggestions for continued development. Cells cultivated in bioreactors offer many possibilities for the production of novel and nutritious food products. Scientific and technological advances in cellular agriculture and processing technologies have allowed for the development of new techniques to utilize in vitro animal cells, plant cells, and microorganisms to mimic the organoleptic and nutritional properties of traditional foods as well as to potentially develop entirely new product classes. This article reviews the technological state-of-the-art of cell-cultivated foods as well as their nutritional characteristics; introduces examples of new food products; and compiles potential economic, environmental, and social impacts of new cell-cultivated food products.

Consumptions of fruit seed oils and meals could potentially improve cardiovascular health by reducing plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The study objective was to compare the effectiveness of expeller-pressed and solvent-extracted grape, tomato, pomegranate seed oils, and defatted pomegranate meals in lowering plasma and hepatic cholesterol using hamster models. Hamsters were fed with fruit seed oils (FSO), defatted pomegranate seed meals (PDM), or control diets. After a 3-week feeding period, plasma total triglycerides of treatment diets were significantly lower. FSO also reduced total, very-low-density lipoprotein- (VLDL), and LDL-cholesterols, while PDM only lowered VLDL-cholesterols. Decreases in low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL/HDL) ratios were also observed in most treatments. In liver, triglycerides, total, and free cholesterol levels did not vary between control and treatments. There were no significant differences in lipid modulating properties between solvent-extracted and expeller-pressed oils. In conclusion, partial replacements of saturated fat in high-fat diets with tomato, pomegranate, and grape seed oils could effectively reduce plasma triglyceride levels and improve HDL/LDL ratios.

ABSTRACTThe taste of umami peptide H-Lys-Gly-Asp-Glu-Glu-Ser-Leu-Ala-OH (LGAGGSLA) is controversial. One possible reason for this controversy is the use of chemically synthesized LGAGGSLA to confirm its taste. To explore other ways to further confirm the flavor of LGAGGSLA, we developed a new strategy to prepare a bio-source peptide by adopting a gene engineering method to express LGAGGSLA in recombinant Escherichia coli. In our previous work, we structured the LGAGGSLA recombinant expression system and optimized the culturing conditions for preparing a fusion protein. However, the fusion protein was not cleaved by enterokinase to obtain LGAGGSLA. Because the cleavage conditions of commercial enterokinase were not specific and recombinant engineered bacteria had the potential to be used in industrial processes, in this addendum, we calculated the mass and volume yields of key processing steps in the preparation of LGAGGSLA, and established a model of cleavage conditions with the cleavage ratio of LGAGGSLA. When the LGAGGSLA was confirmed to show umami taste, it is considered as a new umami or umami enhancer. The gene information of LGAGGSLA should have a great potential in the development of new flavor product and food product containing high umami flavor.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of infrared (IR) drying followed by tempering and natural cooling on the change of physicochemical characteristics of white rice during up to 10 months of storage. The physicochemical characteristics of IR-dried rice were also compared with those of conventionally dried rice. It took only 58 s to heat the rough rice from room temperature to 60°C with IR, and 2.17 percentage points of moisture was removed. After four months of storage, the increases in yellowness index, water uptake ratio, and volume expansion ratio of the rice dried with IR were 73.8, 63.9, and 55.3% those of rice dried with an ambient air drying method, respectively. IR drying slightly decreased the gelatinization temperature, enthalpy, and viscosities, reduced the changes in microstructure, and maintained cooking characteristics during storage. Therefore, the IR drying process is recommended to maintain the quality of white rice during storage.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of infrared (IR) heating and tempering treatments on disinfection of Aspergillus flavusin freshly harvested rough rice and storage rice. Rice samples with initial moisture contents (IMCs) of 14.1 to 27.0% (wet basis) were infected with A. flavusspores before the tests. The infected samples were heated by IR radiation to 60°C in less than 1 min, and then samples were tempered at 60°C for 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, or 120 min. High heating rates and corresponding high levels of moisture removal were achieved using IR heating. The highest total moisture removal was 5.3% for the fresh rice with an IMC of 27.0% after IR heating and then 120 min of tempering. IR heating followed by tempering for 120 min resulted in 2.5- and 8.3-log reductions of A. flavusspores in rough rice with the lowest and highest IMCs, respectively. To study the effect on disinfection of rewetting dried storage rice, the surface of the dry rice was rewetted to achieve IMCs of 14.7 to 19.4% (wet basis). The rewetting process for the dry rice had a significant effect on disinfection. IR heating followed by tempering for 60 min resulted in 7.2-log reductions in A. flavuson rewetted rough rice. The log-linear plus tail model was applied to estimate the tempering time needed to achieve a 5-log reduction of A. flavusin rice of different IMCs. At least 30 and 20 min of tempering were needed for fresh rice and rewetted rice, respectively, with the highest IMCs. The recommended conditions of simultaneous disinfection and drying for fresh rice was IR heating to 60°C followed by tempering for 120 min and natural cooling, resulting in a final MC of 16.5 to 22.0%, depending on the IMC. For the rewetted dry rice with an IMC of 19.4%, the recommended condition for disinfection and drying involved only 20 min of tempering. The final MC of the sample was 13.8%, which is a safe MC for storage rice.

The objective of this research was to study the effects of different milling conditions and postmilling handling procedures on appraised milling quality of rough rice. Rough rice (M202) with moisture content of 11.5 ± 0.2% was used for this study. The samples were milled with a McGill number 3 mill under four milling conditions, including normal milling, milling at high temperature, milling with cooling using ice water, and room temperature water. The milled rice samples were cooled in closed and open plastic containers and in open pans with three temperatures: 15, 23, and 35°C. The effects of milling and postmilling conditions on milled rice temperature, moisture loss, cooling rate, single and multiple fissuring rates, total rice yield (TRY), head rice yield (HRY), whiteness index (WI), and total lipid content (TLC) were evaluated. Results showed that high single and multiple fissuring rates and low TRY and HRY were inherent in improper milling and postmilling conditions. Single fissuring rates were 15.9 and 17.6% and multiple fissuring rates were 3.5 and 7.2% for rice samples milled under normal and high-temperature conditions, respectively. Cooling methods that used open containers and pans had more moisture losses and further resulted in lowering appraised milling quality than methods that used closed containers. Low-temperature milling conditions followed by cooling in closed containers significantly reduced single and multiple fissuring rates and improved TRY and HRY by 0.9 and 1.5 percentage points, respectively. The effects of tested milling and postmilling conditions on WI and TLC were not significant. Obtained results constitute valuable information for developing milling and cooling procedures to achieve consistent, accurate, and reliable milling quality appraisals for rough rice.

AbstractAmylose content was predicted by measuring tridimensionalCommission Internationale de l‘Eclairage(CIE L*a*b*), L*a*b* values in starch-iodine solutions and building a regression model. The developed regression model showed a highly significant relationship (R2=0.99) between the L*a*b* values and the amylose content. Apparent amylose content was strongly and negatively correlated with L*a*b* values. This method could be used to predict amylose content in rice. The conversion of L*a*b* values to red, green, blue (RGB) values and to color hexadecimal codes allowed reproducing the colors of starch-iodine solution and making an explicit color board. Using this specific color board, we could sort entries into their respective classes and easily estimate their apparent amylose content.

This research studied developing quick cooking brown rice by investigating the effect of ultrasonic treatment at different temperatures on cooking time and quality. The medium grain brown rice was ultrasonically treated in water at temperatures of 25, 40, and 55°C for 30 min and then dried by air at 25°C to its initial moisture content (11.0 ± 0.6%, wb) before cooking. The microstructure of rice kernel surface, chemical composition, and optimal cooking time of treated brown rice were determined. The pasting and thermal properties and chemical structure of flour and starch from treated brown rice were also examined. The results showed that the optimal cooking times were 37, 35, and 33 min after treatment at 25, 40, and 55°C, respectively, compared to the control of 39.6 min. The ultrasonic treatment resulted in a loss in natural morphology of rice bran, allowing water to be absorbed by a rice kernel easily, particularly at high-temperature treatment. Even through rice flour still maintained an A-pattern in the pasting properties, the crystallinity significantly increased after treatment at 55°C. Ultrasonic treatment increased the peak, hold, and final viscosities and decreased the onset temperature (To) and peak temperature (Tp), significantly. Thus, ultrasonic treatment could be used for reducing cooking time of brown rice.

Conducting electrospun fiber mats based on PLA and PAni blends were obtained with average diameter values between 87 and 1 006 nm with PAni quantities from 0 to 5.6 wt.. Structural characteristics of fiber mats were compared to cast films with the same amount of PAni and studied by SEM, SAXS, and AFM. Thermal properties of fiber mats and cast films were compared by DSC analyses. Mechanical properties of fiber mats were also evaluated. It was found that electrospinning process governs the crystal structure of the fibers and strongly affects fiber properties. New properties of PLAPAni blends are reported due to the size fiber reduction.

Catalytic infrared (IR) heating was investigated to determine its effect on Salmonella entericaserovar Enteritidis population sizes on raw almond kernels. Using a double-sided catalytic IR heating system, a radiation intensity of 5,458 W/m2caused a fast temperature increase at the kernel surface and minimal temperature differences between the top and bottom kernel surfaces. Exposure of dry kernels to IR heat for 30, 35 and 45 s resulted in maximum kernel surface temperatures of 90, 102, and 113°C, and when followed by immediate cooling at room temperature, yielded a 0.63-, 1.03-, and 1.51-log reduction in S. entericapopulation sizes, respectively. The most efficacious decontamination treatment consisted of IR exposure, followed by holding of the kernels at warm temperature for 60 min, which effected a greater than 7.5-log reduction in S. entericaon the kernels. During that treatment, the kernel surface temperature rose to 109°C and gradually decreased to 80°C. Similar IR and holding treatments with lower maximum kernel surface temperatures of 104 and 100°C yielded reductions of 5.3 and 4.2 log CFU/g kernel, respectively. During these treatments, moisture loss from the kernels was minimal and did not exceed 1.06%. Macroscopic observations suggested that kernel quality was not compromised by the IR-holding combination treatment, as skin morphology, meat texture, and kernel color were indistinguishable from those of untreated kernels. Our studies indicate that IR heating technology is an effective dry pasteurization for raw almonds.

The moisture adsorption characteristics of three commercial functional soy protein products (two isolates and one concentrate) in the temperature range of 10 to 40C were studied. The temperature showed significant effect on both the change of moisture content during adsorption and equilibrium moisture content. The rate of moisture adsorption of a soy protein isolate at water activity of 0.84 increased, but its equilibrium moisture content decreased with the increase of temperature. The suitability of Peleg and GAB equations for modeling the change of moisture content during adsorption and adsorption isotherms was respectively examined, and the constants in both equations were determined. In the temperature range of 10C to 40C, the relative errors of predicted change in moisture content at water activity of 0.84 and predicted isotherms of a soy protein isolates were ranged from 1.36% to 4.85% and 2.80% to 3.63%, respectively. The two equations can be used to predict the change in moisture content during adsorption and isotherms of functional soy protein products at different temperatures with satisfactory accuracy.

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