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Although the consumer enjoys many benefits provided by the current food processing technology, some health professionals and digital influencers suggest that there is little benefit and serious harm that could be due to poor nutrition, which was caused by the consumption of processed foods (PF). A new classification, known as NOVA, which classified foods into four groups, according to the level of processing was proposed. However, this classification does not accurately categorize food products by the level of the processing. In contrast, it considers the quantity of ingredients contained in the food. Therefore, the NOVA classification can lead to a negative perception by many consumers, because it neglects well-established science concepts from the food science domain. NOVA is based on the erroneous assumption that all commercially manufactured foods have low nutritional value, promote weight gain and chronic diseases to consumers because they contain sugar, salt and additives. It dismisses the proven benefits of diets chosen with the right mix of foods at all levels of processing. Disagreeing with some scientific studies, the NOVA classification suggests with inadequate data, that food prepared from basic ingredients at home has superior nutritional qualities to those produced by processors. Thus, some concepts have emerged in the public health field with special highlights to the term "ultra-processed" foods (UPF). This commentary addresses the NOVA classification system from the perspective of food science, which is responsible for the safety and reliability of virtually all the foods we eat. NOVA has classified food into four groups based on the type of processing: 1) Unprocessed and minimally processed foods, 2) Processed culinary ingredients, 3) Processed foods, and 4) "Ultra-processed" foods. The NOVA system is confusing and controversial. Knowledge of food engineering and/or science must be taken into consideration if food processing is the key for food classification. NOVA could be acceptable if it were based only on health concerns, but this was not the case. • The NOVA classification system is analyzed in the field of Food Science. • The NOVA classification does not truly consider only food processing levels. • Clarifications are needed to avoid pejorative connotations to industrialized foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the possibility of producing stable O/W emulsions encapsulating rutin in oil droplets stabilized by soy lecithin and chitosan has been demonstrated. Emulsions were prepared using rotor-stator homogenization, which relied on the adsorption of cationic chitosan polymer to anionic oil droplet stabilized with lecithin. Results showed that emulsion stability index ( ESI ), mean droplet size ( d (3,2) ), and rheological properties of emulsions were principally dependent on the chitosan concentrations. d (3,2) of emulsions was found increasing with the rise of chitosan concentration and reached a maximum value of 520 nm at 0.5% (w/w) chitosan. The emulsion destabilization over time was governed principally by coalescence and creaming instability mechanisms as demonstrated by Lumisizer’ transmission profiles. All emulsions flow curves showed a near-Newtonian behavior as depicted by Power Law model results. Thermal degradation kinetics of rutin emulsions were studied at selected temperatures (4; 25; 40 °C). Chitosan concentration showed a good impact on the reduction of thermal degradation rate ( k ) of rutin emulsions during 30 days of storages, thus increasing rutin half-life ( t 1/2 ). The lowest degradation rate occurred in the rutin emulsion stabilized with 2% (w/w) chitosan. Results indicated that the thermal degradation of rutin followed first-order reaction kinetics, and they could be expressed by Arrhenius equation. The activation energy value for rutin degradation was 27.8 kJ mol −1 with 2% (w/w) chitosan. These results implied that the physicochemical stability of rutin emulsions has been improved by addition of chitosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports on water desorption from cassava starch in relation with the structure and conditioning of granules in suspensions or after equilibration in desiccators. The experimental work is performed by thermogravimetric analysis with isothermal and non-isothermal protocols and interpreted to derive the activation energies and desorption frequencies according to the humidity range with no adjustable parameter. The analysis points out the different types of water interacting with the starch granules and relates the drying coefficients to their microscopic structure. The work helps clarifying contradictory and partial results from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleoresins are concentrated extracts from plants, spices, and herbs which have been studied as additives in foods. Extracted from natural sources by different techniques, they are potential substitutes for synthetic additives. They can promote antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory activity to products. The solvent extraction method is the most used, but new technologies considered green are being applied. Also, the microencapsulation of these extracts has been explored as a way to protect and facilitate the delivery of active compounds in food. This review summarizes the most used oleoresin extraction methods, the main extracts used in the food industry, and describes the characteristics of the main compounds. Volatile and non-volatile compounds can be present and different methodologies for identification and quantification are used. This work also presents a brief description of the most used oleoresin encapsulation methods and lists recent studies providing an overview on the application of this promising ingredient. The main oleoresins applied by the food industry are from black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, paprika and turmeric. In addition to color and flavor, different biological properties arouse the industry's interest in these extracts. The chemical diversity of the compounds present in oleoresins is what gives all these properties. Despite all this, oleoresins oxidize when exposed to factors such as oxygen, light, and temperature. Microencapsulation has been used to work around this problem and to facilitate the application of these viscous extracts in foods. • Oleoresins are natural extracts rich in active compounds that can be used in food. • Green extraction technologies can improve the quality of oleoresins. • Oleoresins can present antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. • Liquid and gas chromatography are the most used techniques to analyze oleoresins. • Oleoresins microencapsulation adds value to the extract and protects its compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effect of pitanga leaf extracts, as source of natural antioxidants, on physicochemical properties as well as lipid and protein oxidation of pork burgers during storage at 2 ± 1 °C, packed under modified atmosphere, was assessed. Formerly, the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as the phenolic profile of pitanga leaf extracts were also studied. Thereafter, five samples were prepared, including control (without antioxidants), commercial synthetic antioxidant (BHT at 200 mg/kg) and three concentrations of pitanga leaf extracts: PLL (at 250 mg/kg), PLM (at 500 mg/kg) and PLH (at 1000 mg/kg). The predominant phenolic compounds identified in pitanga leaf extracts were hydroxycinnamic acids, followed by tyrosol and other phenolics (alkylmethoxyphenols, hydroxycoumarins and hydroxyphenylpropenes). Pitanga leaf extracts showed a high antioxidant and antimicrobial in vitro activity. The addition of pitanga leaf extracts improved the redness of pork burgers during the whole display. On the other hand, the addition of natural antioxidants decreased the lipid oxidation from day 7 till the end of storage period. Burgers with antioxidant showed a similar protein oxidation level, observing an inhibition between 36% and 49% compared to control treatment. From the results, it can be concluded that pitanga leaf extract is a good alternative to commercial synthetic antioxidants to improve the quality and extend the shelf-life of pork burgers. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Pitanga leaf extract is a good alternative to commercial antioxidant to extend the shelf-life of burgers • The main phenolics measured in pitanga leaf extract were hydroxycinnamics and tyrosols • The addition of pitanga leaf extracts improved the redness of pork burgers during the whole display • Pitanga leaf extract decreased the lipid and protein oxidation of pork burgers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of guarana seed extracts (GSE) added to pork patties were evaluated for 18 days storage at 2 ± 1 °C. Five treatments were prepared: i) without natural antioxidant [control (negative control)], ii) with BHT at 200 mg/kg (positive control), and iii) with three different concentrations: 250 mg/kg (guarana seed low dose-GSL), 500 mg/kg (guarana seed medium dose-GSM) and 1000 mg/kg (guarana seed high dose-GSH) of guarana extracts, respectively. The pH, instrumental colour (CIE L*, a*, b*), total viable counts (TVC), Pseudomonas spp. counts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and carbonyl content were determined after 0, 7, 11, 15 and 18 days of storage period. The in vitro antioxidant activity together with the phenolic profile of GSE was also studied. Microbial analysis showed that GSE had no antimicrobial activity on pork patties. The untargeted UHPLC-ESI-QTOF approach confirmed the wide phenolic composition of GSE able to explain the antioxidant power (28.2 g/kg of phenolic equivalents). Low doses (GSL) of GSE were able to preserve the values of colour parameters, obtaining higher L*, a* and b* values during storage, which is reflected in the lowest colour differences during storage (ΔE* 0–18 = 4.56). TBARS and carbonyls values in GSE added samples were lower than control and BHT ones. GSL and GSM provided better results than the synthetic antioxidant (0.08 and 0.07 vs 0.18 mg MDA/kg; 2.47 and 3.13 vs 3.23 nmol/mg, for GSL and GSM vs BHT, respectively). These findings show that GSE are very effective against colour deterioration, lipid and protein oxidation in pork patties and possessing the potential to be used as natural antioxidants. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Guarana seed extracts contain powerful phenolic antioxidants to be used in the meat industry. • Guarana seed extract enhances the colour of pork patties. • Guarana seed extract shows great effectiveness to protect meat against oxidation. • Guarana extract does not have antimicrobial activity in pork patties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The montmorillonite changes the sol-gel transitions of gelatin-based solutions. [•] The nanocomposite-forming solution (in sol domain) presents a non-Newtonian. [•] The mean diameter and ζ-potential of nanoparticle dispersed in water varies with its concentration. [•] The behavior of gelatin-based solution can be due to formation of coacervates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]