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This study explored the effect of constant-current pulsed electric field thawing (CC-T) on the proteins and water-holding capacity of pork. Fresh meat (FM), and frozen meat after constant-voltage thawing (CV-T), air thawing (AT) and water immersion thawing (WT) were considered as controls. The results indicated that CC-T had a higher thawing rate than conventional thawing during ice-crystal melting stage (−5 to −1 °C). It also showed a lower water migration and thawing loss, maintaining pH and shear force closer to FM. Meanwhile, CC-T decreased myoglobin oxidation, resulting in a favorable surface color. The results of protein solubility, differential scanning calorimetry, total sulfhydryl, carbonyl and surface hydrophobicity demonstrated that CC-T reduced myofibrillar protein oxidative denaturation by suppressing the formation of disulfide and carbonyl bonds, thus enhancing solubility and thermal stability. Additionally, microstructural observation found that CC-T maintained a relatively intact muscle fiber structure by reducing muscle damage and myosin filament denaturation. [Display omitted] • CC-T reduced the conversion of immobilized water to free water in the meat. • CC-T resulted in higher protein solubility and thermal stability than AT and WT. • CC-T had a lower degree of myofibrillar protein oxidation compared to AT and WT. • CC-T resulted in less muscle tissue damage, making the fiber structure more complete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The induced electric field assisted hydrochloric acid (IEF-HCl) hydrolysis of potato starch was investigated in a fluidic system. The impact of various reaction parameters on the hydrolysis rate, including reactor number (1–4), salt type (KCl, MgCl 2 , FeCl 3 ), salt concentration (3–12%), temperature (40–55 °C), and hydrolysis time (0–60 h), were comprehensively assessed. Under optimal conditions, the maximum reducing sugar content in the hydrolysates was 10.59 g/L. X-ray diffraction suggested that the crystallinity of IEF-HCl-modified starches increased with the intensification of hydrolysis but was lower than that of native starch. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface and interior regions of starch granules were disrupted by the hydrolysis. The solubility of IEF-HCl-modified starches increased compared to native starch while their swelling power decreased, contributing to a decline in paste viscosity. These results suggest that IEF is a notable potential electrotechnology to conventional hydrolysis under mild conditions without any electrode touching the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging physical technology, magnetic fields have been used to improve the quality of frozen and refrigerated foods. This study compared the effect of applying a static magnetic field (2 mT) at different stages of freezing and storage on the quality of frozen dough. Results suggested that the magnetic field significantly impacted frozen dough quality. It not only prevented the formation of ice crystals during the pre-freezing stage but also inhibited ice crystal growth during the following frozen storage. This effect helped to maintain the integrity of gluten proteins and their adhesion to starch granules by preventing the breakage of disulfide bonds and the depolymerization of gluten macromolecules. It was also observed that yeast inactivation and glutathione release were reduced, resulting in improved air retention and air production capacity of the dough. This, in turn, led to a more appealing volume and texture quality of the finished bread. • Magnetic field (MF) improved volume and texture quality of frozen wheat dough. • MF inhibited ice crystal formation and growth during pre-freezing and frozen storage. • MF prevented disulfide bond breakage and gluten macromolecule depolymerization. • Yeast inactivation and glutathione release were reduced under MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel technique-Induced Electrical Field (IEF) for liquid sterilization was proposed. • The sterilization effects of IEF could be amplified with special structure. • The IEF treatment with moderate heat kept higher total phenol and reducing sugar. • A significant thermal effect and reduction of S. cerevisiae about 4.6 log (CFU/mL) were observed. The non-conventional technologies about continuous sterilization of liquid food were focused on recently, which is benefits for industrialization. In this study, the machine with an induced electric field was used to sterilize S. cerevisiae in apple juice and the juice quality also was researched. The optimal condition is 800 V, 400 Hz, 5 rpm and 2 mm. Furthermore, the sterilization of the IEF was attributed to non-thermal and thermal effects. The IEF treatment group has a reduction of about 4.6 logs (CFU/mL) in S. cerevisiae at 400 Hz, 800 V, and 2 mm, while the non-thermal group is nearly 2 logs (CFU/mL). The improvement of conductivity and the reduction of pH value imply that IEF might destroy the cell structure. Meanwhile, polyphenol compounds and amino acids in the IEF group were protected well than other groups. Generally, IEF is a potential technology for industrial sterilization of liquid beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Electro-analytical method was proposed as differential flux was used as stimulus. • Potential difference between two coils of UHT milk was controllable. • The potential difference under closed-loop was higher than that of open-loop. • Measurement sensitivity was improved as the increase of the sample coils. Abstract An electroanalytical method was proposed to determine fat content in ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) processed milk by magnetoelectric induction. In the technique, involves the induction of a controllable voltage (potential difference, U bc ) in UHT milk, with differential magnetic fluxes as the stimulus. Results indicated that U bc increased with an increase in the ratio difference between primary coil 1 and primary coil 2. Variation of fat content in the UHT milk induced a change in U bc. A reduction in fat content led to an increase in λ-value (ratio of U ab to excitation voltage) under specific conditions. For calibration and verification, a high linear correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9428) and a low root–mean–square error of cross-validation (0.342 g/100 g) were observed between milk fat and λ-value at 20 V and 700 Hz under an open circuit at a coil ratio of 14:56. Measurement sensitivity was improved with the increase of the sample coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve induced electric field (IEF)-assisted hydrolysis of polysaccharide by controlling electrical conductivity. As the conductivity of reaction medium was increased, the energy efficiency of IEF was increased because of deceased impedance, as well as enhanced output voltage and temperature, thus the hydrolysis of guar gum (GG) was accelerated under IEF. Changes in weight-average molecular weight (Mw) suggested that IEF-assisted hydrolysis of GG could be described by the first-order kinetics 1/Mw ∝  k t, with the rate constant ( k ), varying directly with the medium conductivity. Although IEF-assisted hydrolysis largely disrupted the morphological structure of GG, it had no impact on the chemical structure. In comparison to native GG, the steady shear viscosity of hydrolyzed GG dramatically declined while the thermal stability slightly decreased. This study extended the knowledge of electrical conductivity upon IEF-assisted acid hydrolysis of GG and might contribute to a better utilization of IEF for polysaccharide modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are extensively found in foods, posing potential toxicity to humans. Therefore, rapid analysis and monitoring of PFASs in foods are crucial for public health and also a challenge. To detect trace PFASs in foods, construction of sorbents with multiple interactions could be an effective approach. Herein, a cationic-fluorinated covalent organic framework (CF-COF) was prepared by post-modification and used as a magnetic solid-phase extraction adsorbent for adsorption of PFASs. By combining magnetic solid-phase extraction based on CF-COF with liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC − MS/MS), a novel method was developed for determination of eight long-chain PFASs in foods. Under optimized conditions, the method exhibited low detection limits (0.003–0.019 ng/g) and satisfactory recovery rates (73.5–118%) for PFASs. This study introduces a novel idea for the development of adsorbents targeting PFASs, along with a new analytical method for monitoring of PFASs in foods. • CF-COF was synthesized for extracting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). • There are electrostatic interactions and fluorous affinity between CF-COF and PFASs. • The MSPE−HPLC−MS/MS method was applied for determination of 8 PFASs in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The acidified bread showed higher volume, lower moisture content and lower hardness. • Gluten network weakened and yeast activity enhanced in chemical acidified doughs. • Proteins and starches in acidified doughs showed varying degrees of hydrolysis. • Hydrolysis of proteins and starches mainly occurred after dough mixing. • Proteolysis and amylolysis basically depended on types of organic acids. Abstract This study aimed to improve the bread quality by adding acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, fumaric acid and citric acid to its ingredients. The underlying mechanism was explored through the changes in the yeast activity, proteolysis and amylolysis. All organic acids gave bread a higher specific volume, a lower moisture content, a lower pH value and a decreased hardness. Moreover, the yeast activity was enhanced, whereas the gas retention capability decreased in acidified doughs. Organic acids also reduced the molecular weight of proteins and starches, which led to the increase of NH 2 , free SH and reducing sugar contents. These changes were the most significant in the dough with 0.3% fumaric acid. Proteolysis and amylolysis mainly occurred after dough mixing and depended on the types of acids present in the mixture. Nevertheless, the cleavage of disulfide bonds in gluten might rest with the H+ concentration in the dough system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed at investigating the effects of different weight-average molecular weights ( M w : T10, T70, T250, T750, T2000) of dextran (α-(1 → 6)-linked linear backbone, α-(1 → 3)-linked branching) on wheat sourdough bread qualities. Texture analyzer showed that dextran contributed to a significant inhibition of bread staling, particularly dextran T2000. Pasting profiles (Rapid visco-analysis) and steady rheological properties (steady shear measurements) of samples indicated that dextran T2000 suppressed the swelling and gelatinization of wheat starch granules and bound a great amount of water, thus retarding the aging process. Dextran T2000 markedly improved the elastic properties of sourdough-containing dough. Wheat sourdough breads containing dextran T10 exhibited unexpected less firm crumb structure. The improvement of bread qualities was a function of the M w of dextran. Dextran with high M w values has the potential for improving the quality of wheat sourdough breads, especially extending shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hen egg is commonly used in some cereal-based food, including cakes and bread. Ovalbumin, one of the major components of egg white protein, can affect the performance of the food product. The interaction between ovalbumin and gluten protein and its effect on property of dough and quality of Chinese steamed bread was investigated in this study. Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns indicated that ovalbumin was surprisingly not incorporated in glutenins by covalent bond, whereas size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography showed that glutenin macropolymer content in glutenins increased slightly. Furthermore, dynamic rheology experiments indicated ovalbumin led to a decrease in G ′ and G″ of dough. Based on molecular dynamic simulation and SDS-PAGE results, it was inferred that ovalbumin was not hydrolyzed by endopeptidases during dough fermentation and crosslinked to gluten proteins during steaming. Finally, ovalbumin improved maximum dough height (Hm) during dough development and specific volume of Chinese steamed bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable screening of histamine in fish was of urgent importance for food safety. This work presented a highly selective surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method mediated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), which was tailored for identification and quantitation of histamine. Following separation and derivatization with fluram, plates were assayed with SERS, jointly using silver nanoparticle and NaCl. The latter dramatically suppressed the masking effect caused by excessive fluram throughout the plate, thus offering clear baseline and intensive Raman fingerprints specific to the analyte. Under optimized conditions, the usability of this method was validated by identifying the structural fingerprints of both targeted and unknown compounds in fish samples. Meanwhile, the quantitative results of this method agreed with those by an HPLC method officially suggested by EU for histamine determination. Showing remarkable cost-efficiency and user-friendliness, this facile TLC-SERS method was indeed screening-oriented and may be more attractive to controlling laboratories of limited resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adlay has garnered a great deal of research attentions in recent years as a highly nutritious food material and herbal medicine. This study characterized the changes of nutritional and physicochemical properties of adlay seeds during a 60-h germination. The results showed that the 60-h germination brought about a 3.4-fold increase in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and 3.6-fold increase in coixol compared to ungerminated adlay seeds, while the triolein content slightly decreased. Some high molecular proteins were hydrolyzed into smaller proteins, peptides and amino acids after germination. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed that the germination process destroyed the continuous matrix structure of adlay flour and created pits and holes on the surface of some starch granules. Germination resulted to changes in the pasting and gelatinization properties of adlay flour. The results of present study suggest that germination efficiently enhances the nutritional compounds while altering the physicochemical characteristics of adlay seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, orthogonal-function spectrophotometry (OFS) was used for the first time in the determination of amylose and amylopectin contents. A six-point quadratic orthogonal polynomial (QOP) was chosen for amylose determination at an interval of 8nm, and an inter-wavelength of 596nm. For amylopectin determination, a ten-point QOP was selected with an interval of 22nm and an inter-wavelength of 538nm. OFS was more precise, with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.4–0.7 for both amylose and amylopectin content analyses. Dual-wavelength colorimetry (DWC) showed a SD of 1.3–2.5 and 3.8–4.6 for amylose and amylopectin content analyses, respectively. OFS has an acceptable recovery ratio and hence has an advantage over DWC in determining amylose and amylopectin concentration in solution without prior separation. OFS is an alternative method for the analysis of amylose and amylopectin content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A synthetic microbial community was designed based on the division of labor. • Three hyper producers were screened to constitute the synthetic microbial community. • The synthetic microbial community efficiently biosynthesize sulfur compound. • The division of labor in the synthetic microbial community was validated. 3-(Methylthio)-1-propanol, reminiscent of cauliflower and cooked vegetable aroma, is an important sulfur compound in Baijiu. It is important to develop a method to increase 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol content to improve flavor quality of products. In this study, a synthetic microbial community was employed to enhance the content of 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol by multi-module division of labor approach. Firstly, the synthetic pathway of 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol was reconstructed and classified into three modules. Later, the hyper producers in each module were isolated and negative interaction between the members was relieved. Finally, a synthetic microbial community was constructed using three species containing one hyper producer from each module. Furthermore, the transcription characteristics of the species in each module were validated by metatranscriptomic analysis. The constructed synthetic microbial community can be used to biosynthesize 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol for Baijiu. This work provided a novel and workable strategy to design synthetic microbial community to enhance the flavor feature of other fermented foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dextran and acids intervened in the formation of disulfide bonded glutenin polymers. • Acidification weakened structural, thermal and rheological properties of gluten dough. • Dextran improved gluten dough characteristics based on weak acidification. Dextran-containing sourdough has been exploited in breadmaking, obtaining additive-free bread of high quality. Effect of dextran, weak acidification and their association on gluten dough structure, thermal properties and rheology was investigated. Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that dextran and acids both lowered the band intensity in the high molecular weight area (Mw > 175 kDa) and size exclusion (SE-HPLC) revealed that weak acidification induced a decrease of 4.73% of the glutenin macropolymer (GMP) content. The higher free thiol (SH) was observed after dextran addition, further suggesting the hindered glutenin polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) found that dextran and weak acidity caused increased β-turn and decreased β-sheet structures, suggesting a gluten of lower coherence and resistance to extension. Weakened thermal stability and viscoelasticity were subsequently detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic rheology. However, structural, thermal and rheological properties of the weakly acidified group were improved by the associated dextran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• IEF-assisted hydrolysis enhanced with increasing DD of chitosan. • Electrical properties of chitosan showed no significant effect on the hydrolysis. • Structural compactness determined the hydrolysis behavior of different-DD chitosan. This study explored the impact of re-acetylation on induced electric field (IEF)-assisted hydrolysis of chitosan. Chitosan with different degree of deacetylation (DD) exhibited different charge content but similar electrical conductivity and output voltage of the electrolyte system, thus theoretically resulting in equivalent electro-processing efficiency. However, molecular and rheological measurements suggested that the hydrolysis rate decreased with an increase of DD. Re-acetylation had no significant effect on the molecular weight and viscosity of chitosan but damaged its granular and crystal structure, making chitosan chains more susceptible to the acid. The IEF-assisted hydrolysis of dissolved chitosan confirmed that the structural compactness of chitosan played a more important role on the hydrolysis than the charge content. This study extended current knowledge regarding the effect of charge content and structural compactness on IEF-assisted hydrolysis process, which contributed to the applications of IEF in biopolymer modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]