Strongdowns6314

Tropical fruits represent one of the most important crops in the world. The continuously growing global market for the main tropical fruits is currently estimated at 84 million tons, of which approximately half is lost or wasted throughout the whole processing chain. Developing novel processes for the conversion of these byproducts into value-added products could provide a viable way to manage this waste problem, aiming at the same time to create a sustainable economic growth within a bio-economy perspective. Given the ever-increasing concern about sustainability, complete valorization through a bio-refinery approach, that is, zero waste concept, as well as the use of green techniques is therefore of utmost importance. This paper aims to report the status on the valorization of tropical fruit byproducts within a bio-refinery frame, via the application of traditional methodologies, and with specific attention to the extraction of phenolics and carotenoids as bioactive compounds. The different types of byproducts, and their content of bioactives is reviewed, with a special emphasis on the lesser-known tropical fruits. Moreover, the bioactivity of the different types of extracts and their possible application as a resource for different sectors (food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sciences) is discussed. Consequently, this review presents the concepts of tropical fruit biorefineries, and the potential applications of the isolated fractions.Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) provides a potential solution for rapid analysis of trace compounds such as residual pesticides, naturally occurred toxicants, banned or restricted drugs, and food additives in complex food matrices. In this review, the basic principles of SERS and general approaches to successfully apply SERS in food analysis are covered from an applications perspective. The key steps including substrate selection and evaluation, sample preparation and simplification, spectral collection, and data analysis during the development of SERS methods for food analysis are summarized, together with the discussion of typical underlying technical barriers or major challenges of these methods and their applications. Future directions in successfully applying SERS technology as a routine analytical approach to solve real-world food problems are analyzed. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent progress on theory, application, and scope of SERS for food analysis, providing a basic understanding of the technology; more importantly, key methodology, potential pitfalls, and possible solutions during the development of rapid SERS methods based on authors' years of SERS experience are shared with researchers in the field.Black garlic (BG) is essentially a processed food and obtained through the transformation of fresh garlic (FG) (Allium sativum L.) via a range of chemical reactions (including the Maillard reaction) and microbial fermentation. This review provides the up-to-date knowledge of the dynamic and complicated changes in major components during the conversion of FG to BG, including moisture, lipids, carbohydrates (such as sugars), proteins, organic acids, organic sulfur compounds, alkaloids, polyphenols, melanoidins, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and garlic endophytes. Birabresib The obtained evidence confirms that BG has several advantages over FG in certain product attributes and biological properties (especially antioxidant activity), and the factors affecting the quality of BG include the type and characteristics of FG and processing technologies and methods (especially pretreatments, and processing temperature and humidity). The interactions among garlic components, and between garlic nutrients and microbes, as well as the interplay between pretreatment and main manufacturing process, all determine the sensory and nutritional qualities of BG. Before BG is marketed as a novel snack or functional food, more research is required to fill the knowledge gaps related to quantitative monitoring of the changes in metabolites (especially those taste-active and/or biological-active substances) during BG manufacturing to maximize BG's antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, anti-allergic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective and oxidative stress-/hangover syndrome-reducing functions, and beneficial effects on memory/nervous systems. Assessments of the quality, efficacy, and safety of BG should be performed considering the impacts of BG production conditions, postproduction handling, and intake methods.Electrospun nanofibers with structural and functional advantages have drawn much attention due to their potential applications for active food packaging. The traditional role of food packaging is just storage containers for food products. The changes of retailing practice and consumer demand promote the development of active packaging to improve the safety, quality, and shelf life of the packaged foods. To develop the technique of electrospinning for active food packaging, electrospun nanofibers have been covalently or non-covalently functionalized for loading diverse bioactive compounds including antimicrobial agents, antioxidant agents, oxygen scavengers, carbon dioxide emitters, and ethylene scavengers. The aim of this review is to present a concise but comprehensive summary on the progress of electrospinning techniques for active food packaging. Emphasis is placed on the tunability of the electrospinning technique, which achieves the modification of fiber composition, orientation, and architecture. Efforts are also made to provide functionalized strategies of electrospun polymeric nanofibers for food packaging application. Furthermore, the existing limitations and prospects for developing electrospinning in food packaging area are discussed.Type 2 diabetes is increasingly prevalent in Asia, which can be attributed to a carbohydrate-rich diet, consisting of foods in the form of grains, for example, rice, or a food product made from flours or isolated starch, for example, noodles. Carbohydrates become a health issue when they are digested and absorbed rapidly (high glycemic index), and more so when they are consumed in large quantities (high glycemic load). The principal strategies of glycemic control should thus aim to reduce the amount of carbohydrate available for digestion, reduce the rate of digestion of the food, reduce the rate of glucose absorption, and increase the rate of glucose removal from blood. From a food perspective, the composition and structure of the food can be modified to reduce the amount of carbohydrates or alter starch digestibility and glucose absorption rates via using different food ingredients and processing methods. From a human perspective, eating behavior and food choices surrounding a meal can also affect glycemic response.