Search Results (151)

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are natural high-molecular-weight polymers secreted extracellularly during growth. They possess unique rheological properties and emulsifying stability and may exhibit prebiotic-related functionalities. In food systems, EPSs exhibit multiple functional values. In recent years, driven by the global “Clean Label” movement and increasing consumer demand for natural and healthy foods, EPSs, as safe and traceable natural food-grade prebiotics, have attracted extensive attention in the dairy industry. This review summarizes EPSs’ structure, properties, and mechanisms in dairy systems. It focuses on their functional effects and mechanisms in typical dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and ice cream, and analyzes the technical bottlenecks limiting large-scale production, including low yield, high cost, and challenges in separation and purification. This review further outlines several promising research directions for EPS research. These include strain modification via synthetic biology strategies, fermentation optimization using high-throughput screening technologies, and targeted application based on structure–function relationships. It aims to provide systematic theoretical references and practical guidance for the efficient development and innovative application of EPSs in the food industry. Full article

Wasted ice cream products contain many valuable food components, most notably butterfat, which has potential for recovery. Disk bowl centrifugation, widely used in milk processing, has not been previously used with ice cream. In comparison to milk, ice cream has larger variations in fat content, smaller fat globule sizes, and the presence of additives and emulsifiers. An Armfield FT15 lab-scale disk bowl centrifuge was used to separate samples of five ice creams containing 1.25 kg melted ice cream each at temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 80 °C, while incorporating enzymatic digestion from four enzymes to encourage fat separation. Results showed that fat capture from ice cream is aided by enzymatic digestion. Rennet was the most effective enzyme tested. Although some varieties performed better without processing compared to 1 h incubation, all ice creams benefitted from processing after 4 h of incubation, with at least 40% fat (weight basis) and high total recovery. Optimal conditions were found with a 4 h rennet incubation, with four of five ice cream varieties showing greater than 90% fat recovery and a fat concentration of 37% wet basis or higher. Full article

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a rectal cream containing tribenoside and lidocaine (TL) in a rat model of anal fissure (AF) and to investigate the potential mechanisms of its therapeutic action compared with those of a standard care rectal cream containing 2% diltiazem (D). Methods: Treatment efficacy was assessed via macroscopic methods. The levels of the inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-10 in the tissues were measured via ELISA. Histology assessment was performed with standard hematoxylin/eosin stain, Masson’s trichrome method and picrosirius stain. The levels of NF-κB, VEGF, TGF-beta 1, HIF-1α and E-cadherin were measured via densitometric immunoblot analysis. Results: The results of this study show that the medical product TL has therapeutic efficacy in a preclinical model of acute complicated AF, which is likely related to its complex composition. The severity of pathology in the TL group was significantly lower than that in the control pathology (CP) group on the eighth day of treatment and remained significantly lower on the 11th and 12th days. There was no statistically significant difference between the TL group and the CP group (p = 0.186 for IL-6 and p = 0.078 for IL-10). The efficacy of TL and D groups showed no statistically significant difference. At the end of the experiment, after 12 days of treatment, the level of the proinflammatory marker NF-κB in the CP group was greater than that in the intact control (IC) group. In turn, the NF-κB level in the TL group was lower than that in the CP group and significantly lower than that in the D group. Other important markers evaluated in this study demonstrated a similar tendency. The histopathological analysis showed that TL ointment promoted superior tissue repair, resulting in healthier anodermal architecture with minimal scarring and reduced fibrosis. Conclusions: This study confirms the potential for conducting further pharmacological studies of the mechanism of action and further clinical trials of the rectal cream TL, which has certain advantages in terms of effectiveness in a model of acute complicated AF. Full article

The expansion of the global agri-food industry has led to the generation of large volumes of processing by-products that, although traditionally treated as waste, represent valuable sources of bioactive phytochemicals with potential for sustainable valorisation. This review critically examines the integration of fruit, vegetable, cereal, and dairy processing side streams into functional dairy products. Particular attention is given to recent advances in green and emerging extraction technologies, including ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, with emphasis on their efficiency, environmental performance, and effects on the stability and recovery of phytochemicals. The review also discusses the health-related properties of these bioactive compounds, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic regulatory effects, in relation to their incorporation into milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream matrices. In addition, key barriers to industrial implementation are assessed, including compound stability, sensory constraints, bioavailability, and current regulatory limitations. Beyond direct fortification, the review also considers broader valorisation pathways, such as the biotechnological production of microbial enzymes from agro-industrial biomass, as relevant strategies for supporting circularity. Overall, this review highlights how sustainable extraction approaches and functional dairy innovation can contribute to improving the nutritional value, resource efficiency, and circularity of the dairy sector. Full article

This study aims to determine the effects of incorporating melon and watermelon kernel oils into ice cream formulations on the textural profile, mineral richness, and antioxidant activity of the product, and to investigate how oil addition optimizes critical quality parameters such as melting characteristics and viscosity of ice cream. The parameters analyzed include dry matter percentage, first drop, meltdown, overrun, antioxidant content, color and textural characteristics, total phenolic content, and mineral matter content. Among the samples, the highest first drop, meltdown, and overrun values were determined to be 31.67 s, 122.08 s, and 33.34%, respectively, in ice cream samples produced with 0.3% melon kernel oil addition, and the highest DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and TPC in samples produced with a 0.3% addition of watermelon kernel oil, with values of 81.88%, 9.90 µmol TE/g, 2.06 µmol TE/g, and 128.72 mg GAE/100 g, respectively. Likewise, the lowest firmness, highest consistency, cohesiveness, and viscosity index values (15.53 g, 456.34 g.s, −21.50 g.s, and −8.16) were also found in the same ice cream samples. P, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Fe, and Zn contents increased with increasing addition of seed oil, and P showed the highest increase among the samples, followed by Na, K, and Ca, respectively. The samples demonstrating the most significant increase in mineral content were those produced with 0.3% melon kernel oil. Full article

This study explores the self-perception of small-scale artisanal food enterprises and their potential for food upcycling as a sustainable strategy to reduce food waste. The primary aim is to identify the characteristics of artisanal food production and to assess innovative uses for waste materials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight enterprises from various sectors (bakeries, breweries, ice cream manufacturers, and dairies) to gain insights into the artisanal food sector and their handling of residual materials. Findings reveal a strong reliance of artisanal food businesses on traditional manufacturing methods and manual labor, resulting in high-quality, unique products. Moreover, there is notable potential for food upcycling, even though most of the enterprises already try to use most of their side streams in different ways. This study indicates that through a combination of tradition and innovation, artisanal food production can contribute to sustainability. The results provide valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers aiming to develop a definition of the food craft sector. Further research is recommended to quantify the economic and environmental benefits of upcycling strategies in artisanal contexts as well as to establish a definition of the food craft. Full article

The increasing demand for plant-based alternatives, driven by veganism, lactose intolerance, and greater health consciousness, has intensified research into dairy-free frozen desserts. This study investigates the development of a plant-based ice cream alternative utilizing oleosomes extracted from sunflower seed kernels as natural emulsifiers, eliminating the need for synthetic additives. Oleosomes were obtained through aqueous extraction from raw kernels, incorporated into emulsions in three levels (0, 12, and 24%), and combined with sunflower seed oil, tahini, date paste, and water to create the ice cream (IC) formulations. The physicochemical properties of three formulations of a sugar-free frozen dessert were studied. Physicochemical analyses assessed nutritional value, color (CIELab), melting time, stability, overrun, viscosity, and texture profile (TPA). Sensory evaluation was conducted using a hedonic test to assess the impact of tahini type (sunflower seed tahini or pumpkin seed kernel tahini) on the product acceptance. Results showed that higher oleosome content improved emulsion stability and melting resistance, while also producing a softer (30.74 ± 0.28 N), less adhesive (1.87 ± 0.20 mJ) texture, suitable for plant-based ice cream. Sensory analysis revealed a clear preference for the pumpkin tahini formulation, which scored 8.21 ± 0.62 for overall appreciation. The findings demonstrate that the addition of oleosome might improve textural attributes of the products, while the consumer preference could also be influenced by the type of tahini involved in the formulation. However, further studies are necessary to corroborate the proposed interaction mechanisms of ingredients. Full article

Packaged discretionary foods that are energy-dense and nutrient-poor are widely available in the current food environment, potentially contributing to overconsumption and excessive energy intake over time. Factors such as on-pack visual cues (for example, front-of-pack image and food units per serving) and structural features (for example, package transparency) have an important role in nudging consumers towards better portion control. As little is known regarding the presence of these features on packaged discretionary foods in the current retail context, this study aimed to examine the presence of such cues on packaged discretionary foods in Australian supermarkets. Six common packaged snacks were selected: ice-cream, chocolate, lollies, sweet biscuits, savoury biscuits and crisps. Data were collected by in-store visits and using retail websites. A total of 1930 products were included; the majority were share packs (n = 1419, 73.5%), followed by multipacks (n = 385, 19.9%) and single packs (n = 126, 6.5%). Less than half of the share pack products (47%) had front-of-pack images aligned with the manufacturer-suggested serving sizes on the Nutrition Information Panel. Structural features, including transparency, partitioning and resealability, were less common and identified in less than 30% of packaged snacks. Overall, the findings showed that on-pack visual cues and structural features are not commonly used for portion control in packaged discretionary foods in Australian retail settings. Opportunities exist to improve on-pack cues and guides to support better portion size decisions. Full article

Marine plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds with unique properties. The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica is particularly abundant in phenolics and flavonoids, which exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, a phenolic-rich extract (POS) was obtained from beach-cast P. oceanica leaves using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), an eco-friendly technique that preserves thermolabile compounds and avoids organic solvents. POS was incorporated into a base cream (POS-enriched cream) to evaluate its bioactive potential in topical applications. The antioxidant capacity of POS and the cream formulation was firstly evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, confirming strong radical scavenging activity for the POS (IC₅₀ = 2.32 ± 0.33 mg/mL) and significant activity for the POS-enriched cream (IC₅₀ = 16.76 ± 0.58 mg/mL) compared to a base cream as control (IC₅₀ = 37.62 ± 1.27 mg/mL). The antioxidant and photoprotective effects of POS were investigated in human skin fibroblasts (HS-68) exposed to oxidative stress and UV-induced damage, while anti-melanogenic activity was assessed in human epidermal melanocytes (HEM) by measuring tyrosinase activity and melanin content. POS significantly reduced ROS accumulation and modulated key molecular pathways involved in apoptosis (p-JNK), inflammation (NF-κB), energy balance (p-AMPK), and collagen synthesis (Col1A1) in fibroblasts. In melanocytes, both POS pure extract and POS-enriched cream effectively inhibited tyrosinase activity while maintaining unaltered basal melanin levels, indicating a modulatory rather than fully suppressive effect. These findings highlight the potential of P. oceanica SFE extracts as sustainable natural marine-derived products for photoprotection and anti-melanogenesis, thereby bridging the gap between marine waste stream management and applications in skin health and anti-aging strategies. Full article

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), driving interest in food-derived peptides as safer multifunctional modulators. Coconut milk is a promising source, but its anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-glycation potential remains largely unexplored. Here, proteins from coconut cream, skimmed and insoluble fractions of coconut milk were enzymatically hydrolysed, and the resulting peptides were profiled by nano-ESI-Orbitrap-LC-MS/MS. One hundred and fourteen peptides were identified and screened in silico against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, aldose reductase and the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). Two peptides, MQIFVK and ADVFNPR, showed the most favourable docking scores and physicochemical properties. However, ADVFNPR inhibited all 3 diabetic targets & RAGE. Molecular dynamics analysis showed that both peptides bind stably to the diabetic targets. Both peptides were synthesised and evaluated in vitro. ADVFNPR significantly inhibited α-glucosidase, α-amylase and aldose reductase with lower IC₅₀ values and displayed competitive inhibition kinetics. It also scavenged methylglyoxal, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and superoxide radicals at low EC₅₀ values, and showed low hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. These findings indicate that coconut milk contains multifunctional peptides with anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-glycation and antioxidant activities that may be further developed as food-derived adjuncts for managing T2DM and glycation-related complications. Full article

There has been little research on freezing-induced damage in high-moisture dairy products, specifically sour cream and yogurt. This work aimed to investigate, as a proof-of-concept, if antifreeze additives may prevent quality decrease in high-moisture dairy products due to freeze-induced damage. Whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate were complexed with locust bean gum and lambda carrageenan, in both unhydrolyzed and hydrolyzed forms, and their antifreeze activity was evaluated in a model system as well as in sour cream and yogurt. The biomolecules were also tested individually as controls to determine any synergistic effects. Protein and polysaccharide complexes were found to have ice recrystallization inhibition activity in the model systems by reducing the ice crystal size significantly (35–64%) compared to the negative control at both pH 4.5 and 7.0. However, the complexes failed to prevent freeze-induced damage in the dairy system and all treatments resulted in decreased firmness, cohesiveness, and consistency along with increased graininess, possibly due to the complex interacting with different food components that may have interfered with the antifreeze activity of the tested compounds. Full article

Background: Acorus calamus (sweet flag) is widely used in traditional medicine, yet its dermal safety profile remains insufficiently defined under modern regulatory standards. Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the skin irritation, corrosion, and sensitisation potential of A. calamus rhizome oil using new approach methodologies’ (NAMs) test batteries under GLP conditions. Results: The A. calamus rhizome oil was predicted as a Category 2 skin irritant, non-corrosive and GHS Category 1B skin sensitiser. Chemical analysis revealed β-asarone as the major constituent (~40.75%). The reconstructed human epidermis models established reversible irritation without corrosion. Mechanistic concordance across the Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay, KeratinoSens™, and Human Cell Line Activation Test showed activation of the three key events of the skin sensitisation adverse outcome pathway. Using the “2-out-of-3” Defined Approach with the KE 3/1 sequential strategy allowed for hazard classification into GHS Category 1B. Quantitative risk modelling using SARA-ICE models and SCCS parameters yielded conservative safe-use concentrations ranging from 0.13 to 0.78% (w/w) for leave-on products and up to 7.46% (w/w) for rinse-off formulations. Conclusions: The combined evidence from the NAM-based assays showed that A. calamus rhizome oil is a moderate sensitiser and irritant but not corrosive, providing critical data for risk assessment and regulatory decision-making, which was previously unknown. The SARA-ICE PoD-derived safe-use concentrations provide guidance for cosmetic formulators to ensure consumer safety, particularly in leave-on applications such as face and hand creams, where sensitisation risk is highest. This study demonstrates the utility of NAMs for botanical safety assessment and regulatory decision-making. Full article

The growing consumer interest in plant-based alternatives has encouraged the development of non-dairy versions of traditionally dairy-based products such as ice cream and frozen desserts. Soy milk, with its high protein content and favorable nutritional profile, is a promising alternative to cow’s milk in frozen desserts. The aim of this study was to develop frozen dessert recipes containing soy milk and assess their physical, chemical, and sensory properties. Physicochemical analyses of frozen dessert included measurements of pH, specific gravity, total solids, moisture content, ash content, overrun, and melting resistance. Air sell size distribution was examined microscopically. Sensory evaluation was conducted by a trained panel. Nutritional composition was also analyzed. The pH of the frozen dessert increased from 7.2 to 7.5 with higher soy milk content. Specific gravity of the frozen dessert rose from 589.0 to 634.4 kg/m³, while total solids content increased from 20.61 to 28.99%, and ash content rose from 0.33 to 0.98%. Overrun of the frozen dessert dropped from 73.2% to 50.1%, and melting resistance declined from 72.8% to 54.1% with increased soy milk levels. Frozen dessert samples containing soy milk demonstrated high sensory scores due to their smooth texture, pleasant flavor, and uniform consistency. Replacing cow’s milk with soy milk in frozen dessert recipes is a feasible strategy for producing plant-based frozen desserts with acceptable quality and improved nutritional attributes. Future research should explore flavor enhancement and functional enrichment, particularly through the incorporation of freeze-dried fruits and berries, to diversify the product range and meet consumer demands for health-oriented desserts. This research supports sustainable food innovation by reducing dependence on animal-derived ingredients and promoting the use of plant-based proteins. The development of soy milk-based frozen dessert aligns with global efforts to lower the environmental impact of food production and respond to growing consumer demand for eco-conscious dietary choices. Full article

Fermented beverages are drinks that undergo a fermentation process involving yeasts, bacteria, or other microbial groups, leading to the conversion of natural sugars into alcohol, acids, and gases. Beer, wine, kombucha, kefir, and cider are examples of fermented beverages produced and consumed worldwide, representing a rapidly growing market. However, demands for these products have expanded beyond aspects such as size, shape, and storage conditions. There is an increasing demand for eco-sustainable, fresh products tailored to individuals with dietary restrictions and/or enriched with nutrients and health-promoting compounds. In this context, the market has witnessed a surge in alternative fermented beverages made from nutrient-rich or exotic-flavored raw materials, highlighting their versatility. A noteworthy example is the application of Amazonian fruits, which, despite being primarily consumed fresh by local populations, have been extensively characterized in scientific studies for their abundance of molecules with beneficial effects and their use in products like juices, ice creams, and fermented beverages. Thus, this review aims to explore the nutritional composition and microbiological aspects of different fermented beverages produced from several Amazonian fruits. Full article