Search Results (1,221)

Pomace, a waste product, generates a huge problem in the fruit and vegetable industry. Numerous studies prove that pomace and fibre are valuable sources of many nutrients. Due to their properties, their popularity is growing in many industries. Water vapour isotherms and kinetics were determined for selected fruit fibre and pomace. The activity and water content, colour, apparent and bulk density, and material structure were also investigated. In addition, the thermal stability of the tested fibres and pomace was examined. Fibre and pomace from chokeberries, apples and currants were used in the research. The determined kinetic curves proved that apple fibre absorbed more water vapour. The isotherms were found to have a shape characteristic of type III sorption isotherms. The Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer model (GAB) described experimental data for sorption isotherms well (taking an RMS value of less than 10% as a good fit of the model to the sorption data). Thermogravimetric analysis showed good thermal stability, and all analysed fruit fibre and pomace showed similar behaviour in the three main stages of weight loss. The results suggest that the analysed waste materials can be used for different applications, including flour replacements for food products or filling materials in edible packaging films. Full article

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert organic waste into high-quality biomass. In this study, we tested the potential of sugarcane by-products as a food source for BSFL and compared larval development and nutritional value with some other organic substrates. Seven different substrates were used, including carrot pomace (C), carrot pomace and leftover bread (CB) (50/50), bagasse and vinasse (BV), bagasse and molasses (BM), bagasse, vinasse, and molasses (BVM), a mixture of all the above treatments (MX), and university canteen leftovers (UCLs). The larval weight and length were measured for two weeks from day 5 to 19. Then, the BSFL were harvested and analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, oil, ash, mineral, and fatty acid composition. Larval weight and length varied depending on the feeding substrate provided. University canteen leftovers resulted in the BSFL having at least 18% greater length (17.00 mm) and 56% greater weight (3.15 g) compared to other treatments. The highest amounts of protein (38.9%) and oil (39.06%) were observed in the UCL treatment, while the BV treatment larvae had the highest quantities of ash (28.9%) and dry matter (28.0%). The fatty acid profile of the BSFL revealed three-times-higher levels of saturated fatty acids than unsaturated fatty acids in the UCL treatment and was at least twice as high in other treatments. Overall, the BSFL had the best growth on the UCL substrate, and the combination of bagasse and vinasse (BV) was the most appropriate substrate for BSFL development among the sugarcane by-products. Full article

The main challenge of this scientific work was the implementation on an industrial olive oil extraction plant of an NIR device for the multispectral analysis of pomace to predict the percentage of humidity and oil contained in it. Subsequent to the implementation of the NIR device on the oil extraction line on the solid’s outlet from the decanter, NIRS interaction measurements in the 761–1081 nm region were used to probe the pomace. NIRS calibration models for the prediction of water and oil content in the pomace were obtained and successfully tested and validated. The correlations of calibration results for oil and water content were 0.700 and 0.829, while the correlations of validation were 0.773 and 0.676, respectively. Low values of root mean square error were found for both the prediction and validation set. The results highlight the good robustness of an NIR approach based on a PLS calibration model to monitor the industrial olive oil process. The results obtained are a first step toward the large-scale implementation of NIR devices for monitoring pomace in oil mills. The possibility of knowing the oil lost in the pomace, moment by moment, would open a new frontier towards system control and the sustainability of the olive oil extraction process. Full article

Wine production is one of the most important agricultural activities. The winemaking process generates a considerable volume of different residues characterized as by-products, such as pomace, seeds, stems, and skins. By-products are rich in polyphenols with antioxidant and antibacterial properties and may act as bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents against food-borne pathogens, improving food safety by enhancing antibiotic efficacy and reducing bacterial resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of grape components (skins, seeds, and stems) from three red grape varieties (Periquita, Gamay, and Donzelinho Tinto) and determine their antibacterial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Escherichia coli in food-producing animals and Listeria monocytogenes from food products and food-related environments. Ten phenolic compounds were quantified in these red grape varieties, with specific compounds found in different parts of the grape, including phenolic acids and flavonoids. Flavonoids are abundant in seeds and stems, malvidin-3-O-glucoside being the main anthocyanin in skins. The ethanolic extract from the seeds showed in vitro concentration-dependent activity against reactive species like ^•NO and O₂^•−. Gamay extract was the most effective, followed by Donzelinho Tinto and Periquita. Extracts showed varying antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with stronger effects on Gram-positive bacteria. L. monocytogenes was more susceptible, while E. coli was limited to three strains. Seeds exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, followed by stems. The results of our study provide evidence of the potential of grape by-products, particularly seeds, as sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial properties, offering promising avenues for enhancing food safety and combating antibiotic resistance in food production and related environments. Full article

Chemometric evaluation of potentially harmful volatile compound and toxic metal(loid) distribution patterns in fruit spirits relating to distinct fruit classes most commonly used in spirit production highlighted the potential of several volatiles as candidates for differentiation markers while dismissing toxic metal(loid)s. Pome fruit and grape pomace spirits were mostly characterized by a lower abundance of n-propanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and acetaldehyde, while stone fruit spirits contained lower amounts of isoamyl alcohol and isobutanol. Chemometric analysis of the fruit spirit composition of aromatics identified additional potential markers characteristic for certain fruits—benzoic acid ethyl ester, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, butanoic acid 3-methyl-ethyl ester, butanoic acid 2-methyl-ethyl ester and furfural. This study explored the variability in the risk potential of the investigated spirits, considering that some chemicals known to be detected in spirits are potent health hazards. Ethyl carbamate in combination with acetaldehyde showed a higher potential risk in stone fruit spirits, methanol in stone and pome fruit spirits and acetaldehyde in grape pomace spirits. It is of great interest to evaluate to what extent consumers’ preference for spirits of distinct fruit types affects health risks. Consumers of stone fruit spirits are potentially at higher risk than those consuming pome fruit or grape pomace spirits. Full article

Blackcurrant pomace is a widely available waste stream derived from the industrial production of juice rich in pectin and unextracted polyphenols. Since pectin, an emerging class of gastrointestinal prebiotics, is also a common cosmetic ingredient, the aim of this work was to evaluate blackcurrant pomace as a source of pectin-rich fractions suitable for application in prebiotic cosmetics. Hereby, this raw material was valorised by sequential extraction of acid-soluble (by citric acid, CAP) and Ca-bound (by ammonium oxalate, AOPP) pectic polysaccharides. Both fractions had favourable physicochemical features and a similar degree of methyl-esterification between low- and high-methoxyl pectin (approx. 50%), but CAP had significantly higher galacturonic acid content (72.3%), branching, and purity. Regardless of that, both had very high oil (18.96 mL/g for CAP and 19.32 mL/g for AOPP) and water (9.97 mL/g for CAP and 7.32 mL/g for AOPP)-holding capacities and excellent emulsifying properties, making them promising cosmetic ingredients. The polyphenol content was 10 times higher in CAP, while corresponding antioxidant activity was 3-fold higher. Finally, the influence of varying CAP and AOPP concentrations on common skin pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, and beneficial skin bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, was examined. The results show significant prebiotic potential of two pectic fractions since they were capable of selectively stimulating S. epidermidis, while S. aureus growth was inhibited, whereas CAP demonstrated a particularly high capacity of up to 2.2, even with methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Full article

The inclusion of an ingredient made from red grape pomace (RGP) var. Tempranillo was evaluated for the preservation of a traditional dry-cured sausages (salchichón). The pomace was valorized through thermal blanching (103 °C for 1 min) and hydrostatic high-pressure treatment (600 MPa/5 min) before the addition to salchichón. Four formulations of salchichón were evaluated, including a negative control (NC—without red grape pomace or synthetic additives), positive control (PC—with ascorbic acid and nitrites), low level (LL—0.5%), and high level (HL—1%) of RGP. Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensorial effects were analyzed. RGP reduced the final pH of salchichón and favored the growth of lactic acid bacteria at similar levels as PC. The addition of ascorbic acid and nitrites resulted in a final product with a redder and less yellow color than the other formulations. This cured color was not reached with the addition of RGP. However, its inclusion slightly reduced lipid and protein oxidation in salchichón. PC showed high levels of sulfur and terpene levels in a volatile profile, although at a sensory level, only differences in spicy taste were not noticed by panelists. The incorporation of the ingredient could enable the substitution of nitrites with valorized red grape pomace in sausages, although the desirable color achieved with nitrifying salts was not fully attained. Full article

Cranberry fruit extracts have been shown to inhibit expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in THP-1 cells and reduce colonic tumor burden and tissue inflammation in a mouse model of colitis. These activities are attributed to both the triterpenoid and polyphenol constituents of the fruit. The pentacyclic triterpenoids ursolic acid (UA), oleanolic acid (OA), corosolic acid (CA), maslinic acid (MA), and esters of UA and OA occur in the waxy layer of cranberry peel, and their content in cranberry products is likely to vary with the fruit source and processing methods. UPLC-MS (ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) was applied to determine the four triterpenoid acids and their esters in cranberry products and raw materials. Cranberry pomace, a side stream in juice production, was a rich source at 64,090 µg total triterpenoids/g DW. Cranberry juice beverages ranged from 0.018 to 0.26 µg/g of product, fruit samples ranged from 6542 to 17,070 µg/g DW, and whole berry products contained up to 2665 µg/g DW. Free UA was the most plentiful triterpenoid in all samples. These analyses illustrate the potential value of an underutilized side stream in cranberry juice production and highlight potential benefits of whole fruit products. Full article

Consumer interest in healthier meat products has grown in recent years. Therefore, the use of plant powders as natural preservatives in the composition of pork and beef products could be an alternative to traditional meat products. This study aimed to assess the effect of different powders, such as blackcurrant, chokeberry, rowan berries, apple, tomato, garlic, and rhubarb, on the microbial growth dynamics in minced pork and beef during refrigerated storage. The total counts of aerobic microorganisms, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts, and molds were examined according to ISO methods. The polyphenolic profiles of plant powders and supplemented minced pork and beef samples were determined by HPLC-MS. The antioxidative capacity of the plant powders was analyzed using a spectrophotometric method. The findings of the study revealed that supplemented minced pork and beef samples had similar polyphenolic profiles and microbial growth dynamics. The highest antioxidative capacity was observed for anthocyanin-rich berry powders. In both minced pork and beef, rhubarb powder was the most effective plant material for inhibiting microbial growth, followed by blackcurrant pomace powder. In conclusion, all of the plant powders used in the present study can be used for the valorization of minced meat products, providing both antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Full article

The article presents the possibilities of using by-products from the agri-food industry in the form of fruit and vegetable pomace as a supplementary ingredient to extruded food products in the form of snack pellets. In the recipe based on potato starch, pomace from apples, chokeberries, pumpkin, nigella seed and flaxseed were added in amounts of 10%, 20% and 30%. The prepared raw material blends were processed using a single-screw extruder-cooker with a plastification system L/D = 20 and variable screw speed. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of pomace addition on the extrusion-cooking process, i.e., efficiency and energy consumption, as well as on selected physical properties of the obtained food pellets, such as expansion index, bulk density and durability. The addition of selected pomace influenced the extrusion-cooking process and the physical properties of the extrudates. A percentage contribution ranging from 10 to 20% can optimize the extrusion-cooking process and improve the quality characteristics of the final product, while simultaneously utilizing by-products from the agri-food industry and reducing their negative environmental impact. Full article

Apple and ginger mixed pomace is a by-product that can be valorized by drying. In this study, mixed pomace was subjected to hot-air drying (HAD) at 45, 62, and 70 °C and stepwise at 45 °C followed by at 62 °C or the reverse, at 62 °C followed by at 45 °C (2.5 mm layer), and microwave drying (MWD) at 100, 180, and 300 W (2.5 mm and 1.5 mm layers) and stepwise at 100 W followed by at 3000 W (2.5 mm layer). The results show that the Crank model well fitted the HAD kinetics, with a water effective diffusivity (Deff) of 2.28 ± 0.06 × 10⁻¹⁰–4.83 ± 0.16 × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s and energy of activation of 23.9 kJ/mol. The step approach of drying at 45 °C followed by at 62 °C resulted in a higher Deff than the reverse approach (drying at 62 °C followed by at 45 °C). The Midilli et al. model presented a good fit for the MWD kinetics. The drying time was calculated using these models to achieve 12% moisture content in the pomace and found to be 125.0 ± 9.2–439.5 ± 118.2 min for HAD, and 11.1 ± 0.2–61.5 ± 6.0 min for MWD. The specific energy required was 410.78 ± 6.30–763.79 ± 205.4 kWh/kg and 1.32 ± 0.01–2.26 ± 0.05 kWh/kg, respectively. MWD at 180 W preserved the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH) better than HAD at 62 °C. The former technology also preserved the pomace color well, with a low color difference, ΔE, of 7.39 ± 1.1. Therefore, MWD is more promising than HAD to dry apple and ginger pomace, reducing the environmental impact of the drying process due to its lower energy consumption, shorter drying time, and better quality. The dried product could be converted into apple and ginger pomace flour to be used as a novel food ingredient. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented blueberry pomace (FBP) on the intestinal barrier function and cecal microbiome of aged laying hens. A total of 320 Yukou Jingfen No. 8 laying hens (345-day-old) were randomly divided into a control group, 0.25% FBP group, 0.5% FBP group, or 1.0% FBP group. The results showed that the villus height (VH) in the jejunum of the 0.25–0.5% FBP groups and villus surface area in the jejunum of the 0.25% FBP group were higher (p < 0.05), while 0.25% FBP supplementation displayed a higher (p = 0.070) VH in the ileum compared to the control group. Mucin-2 expression was upregulated (p < 0.05) in the jejunum of the 0.5% FBP group and the ileum of the 0.25–0.5% FBP groups. Compared to the control group, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 expressions were upregulated (p < 0.05) in the 1.0% FBP group. Microbiota analysis revealed that Prevotella abundance in the cecum of the 0.5–1.0% FBP groups was higher (p < 0.05) than in the 0.25% FBP group. In addition, microbial function prediction analysis showed that cecal microbiota in the 0.25% FBP group were mainly enriched by alanine/aspartate/glutamate metabolism and methane metabolism. Moreover, Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed the potential correlations between the abundance of the cecal microbiota and intestinal-barrier-function-related gene expressions, as well as the short-chain fatty acid content, of laying hens. In summary, dietary FBP supplementation enhanced intestinal barrier function by improving intestinal morphology, upregulating gene expressions related to barrier function, and altering the cecal microbiota of aged laying hens. Full article

Fruit processing by-products could represent a sustainable ingredient for developing innovative dairy products. The present study was conducted to develop a novel functional yogurt by adding bilberry pomace powder (BPP) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% (w/w) levels in stirred-type yogurt production to confer color and to increase the dietary fiber and polyphenol content. Physicochemical properties of the yogurt samples, including color parameters, titratable acidity, pH, water holding capacity (WHC), and syneresis, as well as textural and rheological properties, were evaluated in yogurts on the 1, 14, and 28 days of refrigerated storage (4 °C). In addition, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and radical scavenging activity were determined in yogurts, and sensory analysis was conducted. The results showed that BPP is a valuable source of polyphenols, dietary fiber, and oils rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs, n-6/n-3 ratio = 0.91). The incorporation of BPP imparted an attractive purple color to the yogurts, increased WHC, and reduced syneresis. Moreover, the addition of BPP improved the rheological properties, demonstrating that a more dense and stable yogurt gel network structure was obtained than the control. The yogurt enriched with 1.0% BPP received the highest scores for color, consistency, taste, and overall acceptability. Hence, bilberry pomace powder might be used as an ingredient to improve the nutritional and functional value of yogurts. Full article

Among fruits, the apple is unique for producing large amounts of the dihydrochalcone phloridzin, which, together with phloretin, its aglycone, is valuable to the pharmaceutical and food industries for its antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic properties, as well as its use as a sweetener. We analysed the phloridzin concentration, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity in the peel, flesh, seeds, juice, and pomace of 13 international and local apple varieties. In the unprocessed fruit, the seeds had the highest phloridzin content, while the highest total phenolic contents were mostly found in the peel. In processed samples, phloridzin and the total phenolic compounds especially were higher mostly in juice than in pomace. Moreover, the total phenolic content was much higher than the phloridzin content. Juice showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by the peel and flesh. Across all samples, antioxidant activity did not directly correlate with phloridzin concentrations, suggesting that the antioxidant activity ascribed to phloridzin may need re-evaluation. In the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay, phloridzin only showed antioxidant activity at high concentrations when compared to its aglycone, phloretin. Considering the large amounts of apple juice produced by the juice industry, residual pomace is a promising source of phloridzin. For technical use, processing this phloridzin to phloretin would be advantageous. Full article

The aim of the present study was to determine the characteristics of oat cookies with the addition of apple (“A”: 5, 10%) and carrot pomace (“C”: 5, 10%). Modifying the recipe and fortifying the oat cookies with such byproducts decreased the hardness and increased the elasticity and chewiness. A colour change in the products containing fruit pomace was also observed. The use of carrot and apple residues resulted in a decrease in the value of the L* parameter, i.e., colour brightness. Moreover, for cookies containing carrot pomace, a significant increase in colour chromaticity towards red and yellow was observed. Fortified oatmeal cookies contained more polyphenols (0.67 mg/g–“CP”, control probe; 0.92 mg/g–“C10”) and fat (21.85%–“CP”; 22.55%–“A10”) but less protein (10.78%–“CP”; 10.25%–“C10”). A higher content of some minerals, i.e., P (0.334%–“CP”; 0.468%–“A10”), K (0.325%–“CP”; 0.387%–“C10”), and Ca (0.057%–“CP”; 0.073%–“C10”), was recorded in the cookies fortified with pomace. The obtained results indicate the significant impact of the addition of apple and carrot residues on the textural properties, colour parameters, and chemical composition of oat cookies. Pomace can be used to increase the content of antioxidants and microelements in this type of product. Full article