International Journal of Food Science

There is a continued need for the advancement of natural emulsifiers to replace synthetic emulsifiers, driven by human health concerns. This study is aimed at producing protein-polysaccharide conjugates through the Maillard reaction and at evaluating its ability as an emulsifier based on its emulsifying properties. The proteins used in this study were bovine milk whey protein and soy protein isolates, while the polysaccharides were maltodextrin and pectin. The protein-polysaccharide conjugation used a Maillard reaction under dry heating conditions. The protein and polysaccharide mass ratios were 1 : 2 and 1 : 3. The results showed that the types of proteins and polysaccharides and their mass affect the surface tension of the conjugate products. Whey protein-pectin conjugates with a mass ratio of 1 : 2 and a concentration of 1% had the lowest surface tension at 43.77 dyne/cm². This conjugate sample also showed the highest emulsifying index at 27.20 m²/g. The conjugate powder containing pectin as a polysaccharide showed better emulsifying activity than that of those containing maltodextrin. However, the smallest droplet size of the emulsion (256.5 nm) resulted from the emulsification process using whey protein-maltodextrin conjugates as an emulsifier. The FTIR and gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis confirmed the conjugation formation. In general, protein-polysaccharide conjugates containing whey protein could potentially act as a natural emulsifier for food.

Hagenia abyssinica and Artemisia absinthium are widely distributed tree species in Ethiopia and known for their traditional medicinal uses. The present study was conducted to determine the essential oil and smoke constituents of H. abyssinica and A. absinthium leaves using GC-MS. The main components of the A. absinthium essential oil were valencene (5.48%), bornyl acetate (5.15%), and trans-cinnamic acid (4.34%). 2-Bornanone (18.54%), o-cymene (12.80%), and nerolidol (7.04%) were the dominant components of the MeOH fraction of the smoke derived from the leaves of A. absinthium, while 2-propenoic acid butyl ester (46.49%), heptadecane (10.66%), and 9-octylheptadecane (7.78%) were the major components of the n-hexane fraction. The main components of the H. abyssinica essential oil were cis-davanone (14.73%), Aristolediene (9.31%), and cryptone (6.50%). β-Myrcene (12.59%), neophytadiene (11.54%), and limonene (11.27%) were the dominant components of the MeOH fraction of the smoke derived from the leaves of H. abyssinica. 1,3,5,7-Cyclooctatetraene (33.58%), prehnitene (7.01%), and heptadecane (5.46%) were the dominant components of the n-hexane fraction of the smoke derived from the leaves of H. abyssinica. The smoke components of A. absinthium and H. abyssinica were reported here for the first time.

The beans’ protein and slow-digesting carbohydrate content make it an appealing choice for healthy food development. However, its properties are influenced by the flour extraction processes. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of particle size and three pretreatments—drying (D), 3 h (SCD3), and 24 h (SCD24)—on the estimated glycemic index (eGI) compared with raw bean flour (R). The methodology covered water absorption (WAI), water solubility (WSI), amylose content, starch digestibility, eGI, phenolic quantification, and rheology. The results showed that WAI correlated negatively with WSI and amylose, varying among pretreatments and sizes. WAI increased as . Glucose release (HI) differed between fine (125 μm) and coarse fractions (242 μm), with SCD24 and R showing the lowest eGI (22.8–24.2). SCD3 had the highest flavonoid concentration, while R and D had more quercetin-3-glucoside. SCD24 displayed higher elastic/viscous moduli than R. Bean flours from all treatments had low GI and contained bioactive polyphenols (catechin, epicatechin, ferulic acid, quercetin). The optimal treatment was SCD24, particularly in the coarse fraction, showing potential for functional food development and novel applications such as precision nutrition.

Beef is an important high-nutrition livestock product, and several byproducts, such as bovine cartilage, are produced during slaughter. To effectively utilize these agricultural and pastoral byproducts, combined (trypsin-papain) enzymolysis and cetylpyridine chloride purification methods were used to obtain chondroitin sulfate (CS) from the nasal cartilage of Shaanxi Yellow cattle. The effects of pH, temperature, and time on the CS yield during enzymatic hydrolysis were investigated, and the CS extraction process was optimized using response surface methodology. The best yield of CS was 21.62% under the optimum conditions of pH 6.51, temperature of 64.53°C, and enzymolysis time of 19.86 h. The molecular weight of CS from Shaanxi cattle nasal cartilage was 89.21 kDa, glucuronic acid content was %, protein content was %, and sulfate group content was %. The nasal cartilage CS of the Yellow cattle showed strong DPPH•, •OH, and ABTS⁺• radical scavenging abilities and ferrous reduction ability in the experimental concentration range. This study could contribute to “turn waste into treasure” and improve the comprehensive utilization of regional characteristic biological resources.

Background. Excess accumulation of potentially toxic elements in frequently consumed fruits is a serious threat to human health. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) and to estimate the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks associated with their daily intake in commonly consumed fruits in Bahir Dar town, northwest Ethiopia. Methods. Three types of fruits (mango, banana, and orange) were collected using a simple random sampling method from open markets in Bahir Dar town. Wet digestion was used, and the concentration of potentially toxic elements was analyzed in the edible portion of the fruits. The average daily intake (ADI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR) were estimated to assess the human health risks posed by the intake of those potentially toxic elements from the consumption of the studied fruits. Results. The concentrations of Cr and Cu were lower than the maximum limit of normal values in mango, banana, and orange. However, the Pb and Cd concentrations (mg kg^-1) in mango were 0.576 and 1.771, respectively, which exceeded the FAO/WHO recommended permissible limits of 0.3 mg kg^-1 and 0.2 mg kg^-1, respectively. The ADI of potentially toxic elements was found to be lower than the maximum permitted tolerable daily intake in the studied fruits, and the HI values (mgday^-1 kg^-1) of all studied potentially toxic elements were lower than one in banana and orange, except mango (3.69). The TCR values for Pb, Cd, and Cr in banana and orange were and , respectively, which exceeded the recommended threshold risk limit (), but in mango (), the level was above the moderate risk limit (). However, the TCR value in all the studied fruits was above the recommended safe limit () set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). Conclusion. The study revealed that the consumption of mango fruit in the studied areas may pose noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic adverse health effects.

Orange concentrate (OC) is one of the main raw materials in the nonalcoholic beverage industry. Considering the difference in orange varieties, preserving its natural quality is essential to yield a product with favorable attributes and physical stability. Thus, the present study is aimed at assessing the effect of pectin, xanthan, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in a concentration range of 0–0.2% () along with mixing temperature on Brix, pH, acidity, density, turbidity, and viscosity of OC and at calculating the model equation for each attribute. The results showed that, except for CMC, the influence of concentration, type, and amount of hydrocolloid on pH changes was insignificant. Adding each hydrocolloid individually, in pairs, or threes reduced the density, and the measured density was lower at a mixing temperature of 4°C. Also, it was observed that mixing temperature was the only factor influencing turbidity, and the values were significantly lower at 80°C compared to 4°C. A significant interaction effect of xanthan concentration and mixing temperature on the Brix was observed. Adding hydrocolloids, except pectin, resulted in a significant () increase in viscosity, and xanthan had the greatest effect on the viscosity. A suitable model was designed using pectin and xanthan, pectin and CMC, and all three gums, resulting in a final OC product with high stability and improved physical and chemical attributes. The optimized values for Brix, pH, acidity, density, turbidity, and OC viscosity were achieved using 0.08% pectin, 0.19% xanthan, and 0.08% CMC at 80°C mixing temperature.