Coupling membrane processes to obtain a lycopene‐rich extract
Lycopene is a carotenoid found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables. It is known for its antioxidant properties, which are associated with the prevention of cancer. Raw tomatoes and tomato‐based products are important sources of dietary lycopene. This study aimed to evaluate the integration of diafiltration and reverse osmosis processes to concentrate tomato pulp and to obtain a lycopene‐rich extract with a high antioxidant capacity and a low molecular weight. Diafiltration was efficient in desalting the tomato pulp, maintaining the lycopene concentration of the tomato at the same level as the whole tomato pulp. The permeate flux of the diafiltrated tomato pulp was 29.5 L·h-1·m−2 and the concentration factor of lycopene was 2.4. Additionally, it was found that the antioxidant capacity increased at the same rate than the lycopene content. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Volume 43, Issue 11, November 2019, e14164. Read the full journal article here.
Prediction of commercial spaghetti quality based on sensory and physicochemical data
In this paper, a range of nine commercial spaghetti samples was studied to compare and describe relationships between physicochemical and sensory data. Analysis of variance showed that all examined sensory and physicochemical properties were significant (p < .05) in discriminating the samples, which could support the usefulness of their application in characterizing the spaghetti appearance quality. According to the results of sensory analysis, the samples were differentiated into four significantly different quality groups, regarding the overall appearance of the samples, as well as all individually evaluated attributes. Successful rating of the appearance quality of commercial spaghetti can be conducted on the basis of instrumental determinations, in the first place using color and mechanical characteristics. Principal component analysis was used to discriminate groups of samples according to similarity in physicochemical and sensory parameters, and the first two principal components explained 75.04% of the total variance of samples. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Volume 43, Issue 11, November 2019, e14172. Read the full journal article here.
Alpha‐Casein and Beta‐Lactoglobulin from Cow Milk Exhibit Antioxidant Activity: A Plausible Link to Antiaging Effects
Studies on the discovery and function of antioxidants are consistently being performed because oxidative stress can cause various diseases. Many compounds and natural products have antioxidant activity in vitro; however, it is often difficult to reproduce their effects in vivo. Additionally, methods to measure antioxidant activities in cells are also scarce. Here, study authors investigated the antioxidant activity of milk proteins by observing the formation of arsenite‐induced stress granules as a tool to evaluate antioxidant activity in cells. Milk proteins not only decreased the formation of stress granules in several cell types but also scavenged 2,2’‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cations in vitro. In addition, milk proteins inhibited cellular senescence based on an SA‐β‐galactosidase assay, and increased differentiation to myotubes from myoblasts isolated from the skeletal muscles of mouse pups. Taken together, our results demonstrate that milk proteins have an antiaging effect, especially prevention of skeletal muscle loss, through their antioxidant activities. Journal of Food Science, Volume 84, Issue 11, November 2019, Pages 3083-3090. Read the full journal article here.
Evaluation of California‐Grown Blood and Cara Cara Oranges Through Consumer Testing, Descriptive Analysis, and Targeted Chemical Profiling
The acceptability of Moro, Tarocco, Cara Cara, Shahani, Bream Tarocco, Boukhobza, and Sanguinelli oranges from both commercial and research orchards was tested with adult (n = 152) and child (n = 72) consumers. Qualitative focus groups were also conducted to understand consumer familiarity and thoughts about the fruit. Sensory descriptive and chemical analyses were carried out to identify drivers of liking. Overall, consumers preferred the lighter colored varieties consisting of Tarocco, Cara Cara, and Boukhobza. One cluster of adults (n = 80) showed preferences toward sweet and fruity flavors and away from sourness and citric acid. The second adult cluster (n = 72) was tolerant of the sour fruit but did not like fruit high in bitterness and flavonoid content. The largest child cluster (n = 42) showed preferences for samples higher in orange and tropical flavors (Cara Cara, Tarocco, and Boukhobza varieties). The appearance of the Cara Cara was strongly liked by the consumer population in both quantitative and qualitative settings. Hunter scale a color values strongly correlated to the higher berry/dried fruit flavors, and concentrations of naringenin. Focus group participants noted that they were relatively unfamiliar with blood oranges. Growers and producers may want to invest in the lighter colored varieties, such as Cara Cara, Tarocco, Boukhobza, and Shahani, as these were liked by a majority of consumers and were low in less desirable sensory characteristics, such as bitterness and sourness. Journal of Food Science, Volume 84, Issue 11, November 2019, Pages 3246-3263. Read the full journal article here.
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