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Calamondin fiber (CF) was extracted and incorporated into dough and steamed bread. Results showed that the substitution of wheat flour by CF resulted in a stiffer and less extensible dough. Both Peleg–Normand and Wiechert models fitted well to the stress relaxation data of steamed bread. Hardness of steamed bread increased with the increase of CF substitution, but the cohesiveness, specific volume and elasticity decreased with the fiber substitution. As CF substitution was increased from 0 to 9%, total phenolic content and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity of the steamed bread were improved by about 23 and 34, 52 and 53, as well as 77 and 74%, respectively. In sensory evaluation, steamed breads with 0–6% CF had similar flavor, texture and overall scores. These results suggest that the addition of 3 or 6% CF can produce healthy and acceptable fiber-enriched steamed bread with higher phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity. Practical Applications Consumption of dietary fiber offers health benefits including lower risk for many chronic diseases. The increased consumption of steamed bread enriched with calamondin fiber is proposed for health reasons. Calamondin is one of citrus fruits, and its pomace contains some phytochemicals, such as fiber, phenolics and flavonoids. The calamondin fiber was extracted and could be supplied as a potential source of dietary fiber. The study demonstrated that fiber-enriched steamed bread with good sensory and nutritional quality could be produced by the partial substitution of wheat flour by calamondin fiber.

Antioxidant activities, color and sensory properties of dried Angelica sinensis (AS) leaves were studied. The dried leaves were extracted with three solvents. Extract yields and total phenolic contents by hot water (HW) and ethanol (EtOH) were obviously higher than that by supercritical fluid (SCF). AS leaves exhibited good antioxidant activities in a concentration-dependent manner. At 30 and 50C, both HW- and EtOH-extracts of the leaves had better scavenging ability of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and reducing power than SCF-extract. However, drying at 90C resulted in the obvious decrease of scavenging ability of DPPH and superoxide anion radical for EtOH- and HW-extracts. The AS leaves dried at 50C had higher green and yellow, and better appearance. The results suggest that the dried AS leaf products with good sensory quality and antioxidant activities can be produced by drying at 50C and by extracting with hot water. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Consumer demand for food with health-promoting qualities is increasing. Angelica sinensis (AS) leaves have an unique pleasant flavor and can be used as a culinary herb for seasoning. After drying, it has longer shelf life and lesser weight and volume. To the best of our knowledge, both antioxidant activities and sensory properties of AS leaves have not been reported. Drying temperature and extraction solvent significantly affected the antioxidant activities or sensory properties of AS leaves. Dried AS leaf exhibited good antioxidant activities, hence it is a potential source of natural antioxidants in food industry. The AS leaves dried at 50C had better color and appearance. This work is useful for selecting adequate drying and extraction conditions of AS leaves in order to obtain good antioxidative activity and sensory quality.

A starch-utilizing, yeast-like fusant was successfully created from fused protoplasts of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Monascus anka, and the feasibility of using this fusant as a new strain for alcoholic beverage development was reported. The new fusant utilized various carbon sources more efficiently than its parent cells did. Rice koji prepared separately by cultivating the fusant and its parental strains on rice was compared to explore the effect of yeast strain on the production of α-amylase, glucoamylase, and acid protease that are crucial in wine making using cereal grains. It was found that the fusant produced greater levels of the above-mentioned enzymes than its parental strain does. Consequently, the usage of this fusant in the alcoholic fermentation of polished rice was found to reduce approximately 50% consumption of added glucoamylase than when its parental strain was used. Besides, at the end of fermentation, the fusant yeast resulted in a mash with distribution of flavor components very different from that produced by its parental strains. Thus, the fusant can be used as a new yeast strain for creating novel alcoholic beverages.

Vinegar has been used as a seasoning in cooking since ancient times. However, recent research has shown that, in addition to its well-known anti-bacterial activity, vinegar (when consumed as a drink) confers considerable health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, acting as an anti-oxidant, alleviating the effects of diabetes, preventing cardiovascular diseases, providing refreshment after exercise, etc. (Nishidai et al., 2000; Ogawa et al., 2000; Fushimi et al., 2001, 2002; Kondo et al., 2001; Shimoji et al., 2002; Sugiyama et al., 2003; Johnston et al., 2004). Consumers are now beginning to appreciate the health benefits of drinking vinegar. Therefore, in addition to the traditional use of vinegar products such as rice vinegar, wine vinegar and cider vinegar as a food flavouring, there is a growing demand for fruit vinegar products that are sold as a health food. The emergence of these new products has resulted in name changes from wine or cider vinegar to grape or apple vinegar, with these being categorized as fruit vinegars. Thus, there are two types of fruit vinegar products on the market: one with a high content of acetic acid which is either used as a seasoning or is diluted with 4-8 times as much water as a health drink, and another that is ready to drink as a beverage.