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Despite being one of the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide, there are concerns that excessive consumption of coffee can have adverse effects, especially concerning the addictive and stimulating effects of the alkaloid caffeine, which contributes to coffee's popularity. It is known to increase the risk of hypertension and heart rate among predisposed individuals, adversely affecting the nervous system. Even though they differ in nature from those found in coffee, coffee substitutes can be considered economically and health‐wise as a favorable alternative to natural coffee brews. This review summarizes the state‐of‐the‐art varieties of plants used as coffee substitutes and discusses their production technology, chemical composition, nutritional properties, health benefits, economic challenges, and rationale for choosing the plant as a substitute for coffee. Various instant products and coffee substitute blends are also available on the market especially based on different kinds of plants and herbs like ginger, rye, date pits, quinoa, lupine, chicory, barley, rye, oak, and so on. These coffee substitutes have several advantages especially having no caffeine and containing different beneficial phytochemicals, although the results of the difference between the levels of harmful compounds in coffee and coffee substitutes were contradictory. Therefore, it is no wonder that the development of coffee substitutes, which are beverages that are able to mimic the taste and aroma of coffee, is on the rise at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages, consumed as a raw material in different food sectors. The popularity of coffee is induced by its pleasant flavor, taste, and highly nutritious nature. However, the absorption of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through preharvest, harvesting, and post-harvest stages makes it a potentially rich source. Essential elements are potentially toxic at a higher concentration than required for the human body to work. PTEs intake through food systems may lead to health risks, including mutagenicity, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and embryotoxic effects. Different analytical techniques such as spectroscopy, electromigration, and electrochemical. are used for PTEs content determination of coffee. Considering the importance of PTEs in human health and the worldwide popularity of coffee, their monitoring of coffee is crucial. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the classification, prevalence, and determination techniques of PTEs in different coffee types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, consumers are aware of the necessity of following a healthy diet and there is demand for natural and nutritious food products, especially for children. Consequently, new trends in the food industry are focused on the development of foods with low levels of sucrose and artificial additives (e.g., flavors and colorants), as well as high antioxidant, protein, and fiber content. On the other hand, some consumers demand vegan, halal, and kosher-certified food products. In this regard, conventional confectionary products such as gummy candies (GCs) are increasingly losing their popularity. Therefore, the development of plant-based and functional GCs has gained the attention of researchers and manufacturers. This review highlights recent innovations in the development of GCs with alternative gelling agents and sweeteners, natural flavors and colorants, and the incorporation of medicines, fiber, protein and antioxidants into GCs. Additionally, it summarizes their effects on the techno-functional, sensory, and nutritional properties of GCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its dual function, inulin is an important prebiotic compound in the cereal industry, especially in bread production. In other words, improving technological features and creating health properties (such as reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis) have led to the widespread use of this compound. Inulin has many important technological functions in bread, including its ability to interact with water, create structure, and influence rheological properties, texture, and overall acceptability of the final product. Nevertheless, bread processing conditions can influence the structural integrity of inulin and thus affect its technological efficiency. Therefore, this review article aims to investigate the technological properties and factors affecting the stability of inulin during bread processing conditions. Generally, the addition of inulin could considerably improve the technical performance of bread. However, the stability of inulin depends on the formulation components, type of fermentation, and baking process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]