Food Research International

Despite growing availability of plant-based meat, limited data exist on how these products perform relative to animal-based options in real-world consumption settings. This study compares consumer sensory perceptions of two plant-based meatballs (soy, soy-wheat) and two animal-based meatballs (beef, beef-mushroom) among university dining hall patrons (n = 128), complemented by instrumental Texture Profile Analysis. Animal-based meatballs received significantly higher ratings for moistness, meatiness, fattiness, and tastiness (all p < 0.001), with the meatiness gap being the largest ({Delta} = 1.40 on a 5-point scale). Texture analysis found that animal-based samples were significantly harder, more cohesive, and chewier than plant-based samples. In contrast, consumers perceived no difference in chewiness or hardness between categories, revealing a disconnect between instrumental and sensory measures. Just-About-Right penalty analysis identified insufficient savoriness as a universal improvement target across all products, including beef. Flavor and texture were the dominant drivers of dining choice, while sustainability and animal welfare ranked lowest in importance. These findings indicate that achieving sensory parity--particularly in moistness, meatiness, and savoriness--rather than emphasizing sustainability messaging, may be critical for increasing acceptance of plant-based meat in institutional food service. Data and code are available at https://github.com/LivingMatterLab/AI4Food

Texture is one of the major barriers to acceptance of sustainable protein products, yet the relationship between instrumental texture and consumer perception remains poorly understood. Here we combined consumer sensory evaluation and texture profile analysis to identify the factors that drive burger acceptance across blended, animal-based, and plant-based formulations. A total of 472 diners evaluated beef-mushroom (n = 171), turkey (n = 100), bean (n = 100), and pea (n = 101) burgers served in Stanford University dining halls, while texture profile analysis quantified physical texture (n = 10 per product). The beef-mushroom burger achieved the highest ratings for meatiness (77.0/100), tastiness (69.4/100), and moistness (61.8/100), and 78% of consumers rated its moistness as just-about-right. Although the pea burger exhibited mechanical properties similar to the beef-mushroom burger, including indistinguishable cohesiveness values (0.53 vs. 0.53), it received substantially lower ratings for meatiness (56.1 vs. 77.0), indicating that mechanical similarity alone does not ensure consumer acceptance. Across products, moistness emerged as the primary sensory limitation, with 58% of turkey consumers and 46% of bean consumers reporting insufficient moisture. Cohesiveness showed the strongest association with perceived meatiness (r = 0.82). These findings demonstrate that successful burger reformulation requires more than mechanical matching; products must reproduce the moisture, flavor, and eating experience associated with meat. Blended burgers may represent the most practical near-term strategy for reducing meat consumption without compromising eating quality.

Plant-based cheese analogs have emerged as a novel global market trend driven by sustainability concerns for our planet. This study examines eleven soft ripened plant-based cheese analogs produced in Europe, primarily with bloomy rinds and cashew nuts as the main ingredient. First, we focused on exploring the macronutrients and salt content stated on the labels, as well a detailed fatty acid analysis of the samples. Compared to dairy cheeses, plant-based cheeses share similarities in lipid content, but their fatty acid profiles diverge significantly, with higher ratio of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acids. We also investigated the microbiota of these analog products, employing a culture-dependent and -independent approaches. We identified a variety of microorganisms in the plant-based cheeses, with Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides being the dominant bacterial species, and Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium camemberti the dominant fungal species. Most of the species characterized are similar to those present in dairy cheeses, suggesting that they have been inoculated as culture starters to contribute to the sensorial acceptance of plant-based cheeses. However, we also identify several species that are possibly intrinsic to plant matrices or originate from the production environment, such as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus spp. This coexistence of typical dairy-associated organisms with plant associated species highlights the potential microbial dynamics inherent in the production of plant-based cheese. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of plant-based cheese alternatives, enable the development of sustainable products, and pave the way for future research exploring the use of plant-based substrates in the production of cheese analogues.

Mushroom production generates large amounts of by-products, particularly stipes, which can represent up to half of the fruiting body biomass. Due to their similar composition to mushroom caps, these residues represent a promising substrate for the development of value-added foods. In this study, oyster mushroom stipes were used as a substrate for solid-state fermentation (SSF) with a Neurospora crassa strain isolated in Albacete to produce a novel meat analogue inspired by the oncom. Fermentation generated a cohesive matrix bound by hyphae that adopted the shape of the mold and exhibited a meat-like color, although with a softer texture. Nutritional analysis revealed a product with relatively low protein content but a complete amino acid profile, enriched in dietary fiber and containing unsaturated fatty acids. These results demonstrate that SSF with N. crassa provides a strategy to upcycle oyster mushroom by-products into fiber-rich meat analogues with potential applications in sustainable food systems.

Dairy-free foods must reproduce diverse functions of dairy, from foam stabilization in a latte to acid-gel structure in yogurt and melt-stretch behavior in mozzarella. Public consumer benchmarks rarely compare these categories under a common protocol. Here we analyze data from the NECTAR Taste of the Industry 2026 study, a blinded, randomized, in-person evaluation of commercial dairy-free products and dairy benchmarks. The full study included 2,183 consumers and 112 products across ten categories, with 3,220 product evaluations and 79,027 recorded survey responses, including 35,762 product-linked responses. The ten categories included barista milk, butter, cheddar, cream cheese, creamer, ice cream, fluid milk, mozzarella, sour cream, and Greek style yogurt. Within each category, we compare a dairy benchmark with the dairy-free product selected post hoc as the category leader. Participants rated overall liking, flavor, texture and mouthfeel, appearance, similarity to dairy, and purchase intent on seven-point scales and completed check-all-that-apply questions. In exploratory category-specific equivalence tests using a chosen margin of {+/-}0.05 points, barista milk, creamer, and fluid milk meet this margin. Mozzarella has the largest paired deficit of -1.46 points (unadjusted, p < 0.001), followed by Greek style yogurt and butter; all three remain significant after Holm correction across the ten primary comparisons. Descriptive penalty analysis associates off-flavor, artificial or chemical notes, stale or cardboard notes, bitter taste, and lingering aftertaste with the largest reductions in liking. Together, these results establish the first open sensory benchmark for dairy and dairy-free products, demonstrate that sensory parity is already achievable in several beverage categories, and identify the product categories and sensory attributes that offer the greatest opportunities for future innovation.

Plant-based seafood alternatives could reduce pressure on marine ecosystems, yet texture gaps between plant-based and conventional products limit consumer adoption. This study compared the textural properties and consumer acceptance of plant-based and conventional breaded shrimp to evaluate whether instrumental texture differences predict sensory differences. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was performed on four breaded shrimp products (n = 14-15 replicates per product), and consumer sensory evaluation (n = 107) used a within-subjects counterbalanced design assessing hedonic ratings, Just-About-Right attributes, Check-All-That-Apply descriptors, and purchase intent. TPA revealed that plant-based shrimp exhibited significantly higher hardness (14.9 {+/-} 1.0 N vs. 9.6 {+/-} 2.8 N), stiffness (592 {+/-} 40 kPa vs. 382 {+/-} 113 kPa), and chewiness (10.5 {+/-} 0.8 N vs. 2.5 {+/-} 1.1 N) compared to conventional shrimp (all p < 0.0001). However, consumer sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences between products for any hedonic attribute, JAR rating, CATA descriptor, or purchase intent (all p > 0.05 after FDR correction). Despite 1.6-fold greater hardness and 4.2-fold greater chewiness, plant-based breaded shrimp received comparable hedonic ratings to conventional shrimp, suggesting that the breaded format masks mechanical texture differences. Achieving TPA parity may not be necessary for consumer acceptance in breaded seafood applications. HighlightsO_LIPlant-based shrimp is 1.6x harder and 4.2x chewier than conventional C_LIO_LIConsumers reported no significant sensory differences between products C_LIO_LIBreaded format masks instrumental texture differences C_LIO_LITPA parity may not be required for consumer acceptance C_LI

The impact of water addition to grape juice in winemaking, on both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation duration and outcome has been examined using commercial wine yeasts, Lalvin EC1118 and Lalvin R2 and malolactic bacteria Lalvin VP41. As expected, dilution with water did not impede fermentation, instead resulted in shortened duration, or in the case of malolactic fermentation enabled completion in these conditions. Addition of complex organic nutrient further shortened alcoholic fermentation by Lalvin R2 and in some conditions also reduced the duration of malolactic fermentation. In general, volatile compounds and some major yeast metabolites were present at lower concentrations at the end of fermentation where juices were diluted and the addition of organic complex nutrient also influenced the concentration of some compounds in wine. These findings are significant to commercial winemaking, highlighting that winemakers should consider potential impacts of juice dilution on processing efficiencies along with wine flavour and aroma. Highlights: Gardner et al. The effect of grape juice dilution on fermentationO_LIGrape juice dilution shortened both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation C_LIO_LIIn some conditions addition of commercial nutrient decreased fermentation duration C_LIO_LIIn general wine volatiles decrease with grape juice dilution C_LIO_LIIsoamyl acetate can be decreased in wine by grape juice dilution C_LI

The size of food particles and their surface area affect how accessible the substrates are to the gut microbiota. This study aimed to examine how the oral breakdown of rice influences the gut microbiota functionality, considering the oral phase, digestion, and colonic fermentation. Increasing the number of chews per bite produced more and smaller particles and increased total bolus surface area, influencing microbial activity and microbial metabolite production. Higher bile salt hydrolase activity and total short- chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were found in large particles. Focusing on SCFAs, acetic acid was correlated with larger particle sizes. Propionic acid production was associated with a larger surface area, while butyric acid production was highly correlated to the fiber content. Untargeted lipidomics highlighted that particle size influenced numerous metabolites beyond SCFA. This study showed that food particle size could be an innovative strategy to modulate gut microbiota functionality and microbial metabolite production.

Vitamin-B12, or cobalamin, is an essential human vitamin and most commonly acquired in the diet through consumption of animal products. Acquisition of the vitamin for people who follow strict plant-based diets is limited to supplementation via tablets or consumption of fortified foods. Tempeh -- an Indonesian food of soybeans fermented with a filamentous fungi, Rhizopus sp. is a potential dietary source of cobalamin, but its presence is under question based on difficult quantification of this trace vitamin. This study tested the presence and concentration of vitamin-B12 in commercially available tempeh and tempeh produced with deliberate inoculation of various bacteria and moulds. Vitamin-B12 was not detected in any commercially available tempeh. Tempeh made with filamentous fungi and Propionibacterium freudenreichii (ATCC 9617) consistently produced detectable levels of cobalamin. P. freudenreichii co-fermented with Rhizopus oligosporus (ATCC 22959) produced the highest concentration of cobalamin at 8.26 {+/-} 0.13 g/100g of wet weight of tempeh. Co-fermentation with a different tempeh mould significantly reduced the amount of cobalamin (P = 0.008). Results from this study suggest that incorporating nutrient-enhancing microbes into an existing fermentation stage of a product is an effective method to increase the nutritional density of food. The results of this study suggest that cheap, safe and easily cultured microbes can contribute to the nutritional diversity of people following plant-only diets.

BackgroundIn vitro studies show that goat milk proteins form less compact coagulates in the stomach compared to cow milk proteins, which may facilitate gastric digestion and amino acid (AA) absorption. However, this has not been confirmed in vivo in humans. ObjectiveTo examine gastric digestion and changes in AA concentrations after cow milk-derived (cow MC) and goat milk-derived casein (goat MC) ingestion. MethodsIn this single-blind randomized cross-over study 18 men (age 23 {+/-} 1.6 years, BMI 23 {+/-} 1.6 kg/m2) consumed 300 ml of a drink containing 30 g of cow MC or goat MC. Participants underwent gastric MRI scans at baseline and every 10 minutes up to 60 minutes postprandially. Blood was drawn at baseline and up to 4 hours postprandially. In addition, participants verbally rated their appetite after each MRI measurement. Primary outcomes were gastric emptying and AA concentrations. Secondary outcome was gastric coagulation as inferred by image texture metrics. ResultsGastric emptying half-time was 80 {+/-} 25 minutes for goat and 85 {+/-} 24 minutes for cow MC (p = 0.395). In line with this, gastric emptying of the drinks over time was similar (MD 0.77 ml, 95% CI [-6.9, 8.5], p=0.845). Serum essential AA (MD -110 {micro}mol/L, 95% CI [-162, -58]) was higher over time for cow MC (p<0.001). The image texture metric contrast was lower for cow MC (MD 0.010, 95% CI [0.001, 0.020], p=0.036). ConclusionCow MC and goat MC have different coagulating properties, as inferred by AA concentrations and supported by image texture analysis. This did not influence overall gastric emptying or the emptying of the liquid and coagulated fractions, which were similar. This warrants further in vivo research on casein coagulation in the food matrix to help determine the optimal use for cow and goat milk and their protein fractions. Financial support: the study was funded by Ausnutria Dairy Corporation Ltd. Clinical trial registry number: NL8137 (Netherlands Trial Registry), accessible through https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NL-OMON28580

Concerns surrounding the environmental, economic, and ethical consequences of meat production and industrial agriculture have prompted substantial research and capital investment into the production of meat alternatives. Alternative meat production encompasses a variety of technological approaches including plant-based meats, cell-based or cultivated meats, meat alternatives relying on fungal protein sources, and hybrids thereof; each of which offers unique advantages and disadvantages and has been associated with a myriad of claims supporting it as the preferred alternative to animal-derived meats. As part of XPRIZE Foundations Feed the Next Billion competition, we developed a framework for evaluating meat alternatives by measuring their structural, nutritional, and organoleptic properties while also assessing safety and their purported environmental and economic benefits compared to animal-derived meats. The framework is technologically agnostic and can be used to evaluate meat alternatives of all types. The output of the framework enables a data-driven comparison to animal-derived meat and/or other alternative meats, allowing a range of stakeholders (e.g., food startups, investors, government) to assess technological readiness, competitive advantage, and impact potential. This framework can assist this nascent industry as it moves towards standardizing approaches to evaluating the quality, safety and proposed benefits of meat alternatives.

The objective of this work was to modify extrusion parameters to yield greater resistant starch (RS) in a kibble and create a model to predict its concentration. A dog food was extruded through a small-scale twin-screw extruder as a central composite design with 6 central points (replicates) and 14 single replicates. There were three factors tested at three levels: corn particle size, extruder shaft speed, and in-barrel moisture (IBM). The remaining processing inputs were kept constant. Chemical and physical starch analyses were performed. A model to predict RS was created using the REG procedure from SAS. Pearson correlations between extrusion parameters and starch analyses were conducted. A model to predict RS was created (R2adj= 0.834; P < .0001). Both SME and extrudate temperature had a high negative correlation with RS and RVA raw starch. Results suggest that low mechanical energy and high IBM increase kibble RS.

It is encouraging to see the growing acceptance of millet among the general public, driven by its numerous health benefits. Various research efforts have focused on the many non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) in millets, given their significant nutraceutical potential. Barnyard millet is a viable candidate for extracting NDOs owing to its superior nutritional value and affordability. In the present study, crude oligosaccharides were extracted from barnyard millet under optimized conditions: 80% aqueous ethanol (v/v) at a 1:5 sample-to-solvent ratio for 1 h at 60 {degrees}C, yielding 3.61{+/-}0.24%. Extracted oligosaccharides were further purified through adsorption chromatography and dialyzed through dialysis membranes (500 Da). Several significant peaks at m/z values of 527, 689, 852, 1014, and 1338 were detected in the MALDI-TOF mass spectrum, indicating that barnyard millet oligosaccharides (BMOs) comprise various oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization (DP) from 3 to 8. BMOs were treated with digestive enzymes (porcine pancreatic and salivary -amylase) and an artificial acidic solution, and results showed that approximately 91% of BMOs were not digested. The positive prebiotic scores and the generation of lactic and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) upon fermentation by various probiotic strains indicate the prebiotic potential of BMOs. In this study, the results also showed that the presence of BMOs increased auto-aggregation of lactobacilli and enhanced the adhesion of probiotics to HCT116 cells. Our findings indicate that, with its nutritional benefits, barnyard millet may serve as a viable reservoir of beneficial carbohydrates, including NDOs. HighlightsO_LIExtraction of BMOs under optimized parameters. C_LIO_LIPartial purification of BMOs through charcoal column chromatography and dialysis. C_LIO_LIA positive prebiotic activity score conferred the prebiotic potential of BMOs. C_LIO_LIProduction of short-chain fatty acids by fermentation of BMOs. C_LIO_LIBMOs increased the auto-aggregation percentage of different probiotics. C_LI

Functional dairy products are increasingly recognized for their ability to provide both essential nutrition and additional health benefits. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a synbiotic yogurt enriched with Lactobacillus plantarum as a probiotic and Stevia rebaudiana extract (1% w/v) as a prebiotic source. Thirteen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from fermented dairy and vegetable samples and evaluated for probiotic potential through tests for acid and bile tolerance, hydrophobicity, aggregation abilities, and pathogen co-aggregation. Isolate PG1 (Lactobacillus plantarum) demonstrated the highest prebiotic growth stimulation index (49%) in the presence of stevia extract and was selected for yogurt formulation. Yogurt samples were prepared and stored at 4{degrees}C for 10 days. Physicochemical properties (pH, titratable acidity, and protein content), microbiological viability, total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), and sensory attributes were monitored. The synbiotic yogurt (St-Y) showed enhanced functional properties, with a total phenolic content of 16.67 {micro}g GAE/g, a flavonoid content of 6.28 {micro}g QE/g, and 57.84% antioxidant activity. Additionally, it showed improved protein content and superior sensory scores compared to control samples. These findings suggest that S. rebaudiana fortified probiotic yogurt can serve as a nutritious, antioxidant-rich, and sensory-acceptable functional dairy product.

This study investigated the effects of different downstream processes for protein isolation on the bulk properties and composition of clover grass protein prototypes (CGPs). A clarified clover grass juice, obtained using membrane filtration (MF), underwent precipitation by acid (AP), heat (HP), or acid+heat (AHP), or underwent ultra- and diafiltration to produce a concentrate (DC) as well as subsequent tryptic hydrolysis of DC (DCH). HP had the highest protein content (p<0.05) and was whiter than other CGPs, although it showed lower aqueous solubility. In contrast, DC showed excellent solubility across a broad pH range. CGPs efficiently decreased oil-water interfacial tension (16-13 mN/m) and displayed viscoelastic and solid-like interfacial behavior. CGPs-stabilized emulsions displayed low physical stability with larger droplets despite high absolute {zeta}-potentials. CGPs were rich in RuBisCO (37-47%) but had varying levels of other proteins. Despite significant protein-level differences, overall protein composition of CGPs was comparable, highlighting that protein state governs bulk functionality more than subtle compositional changes. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=108 SRC="FIGDIR/small/701969v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (25K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f37756org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1fb5beorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1d4efe2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d11ef8_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG Created with BioRender.com HighlightsO_LIThe effect of different processes on functional properties of CGPs was explored. C_LIO_LIHeat treatment increased protein purity and whiteness at the expense of solubility. C_LIO_LICGPs efficiently reduced O/W interfacial tension but produced unstable emulsions. C_LIO_LICGPs were found rich in RuBisCO (34-47%) using quantitative proteomics. C_LIO_LIProtein state had larger influence on functionality than protein-level composition. C_LI

Black rice oligosaccharides (BO) were extracted with 80% aqueous ethanol (v/v) and purified by charcoal-celite chromatography followed by dialysis using a 500 Da molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) membrane, yielding an oligosaccharide fraction with a degree of polymerisation (DP) between three and eight (DP3-DP8; 2.87 {+/-} 0.29% w/w). MALDI-TOF MS showed sodium adduct ions from m/z 527 to 1330, and GC-MS analysis of hydrolysed samples identified glucose and galactose as the major monomers, while ketosyl residues were detected in the intact fraction by selective staining and are most plausibly attributed to fructosyl units based on cereal origin and DP distribution. BO showed high resistance to simulated salivary, gastric, and pancreatic digestion (only 2.08 {+/-} 0.51%, 0.34 {+/-} 0.03%, and 4.29 {+/-} 0.73% hydrolysis, respectively) with approximately 93% remaining carbohydrate available for fermentation. All Lactobacillus strains showed positive prebiotic activity scores, with the highest response observed for Lactobacillus rhamnosus (1.165 {+/-} 0.255) and Lactobacillus plantarum (0.980 {+/-} 0.163). Fermentation produced metabolically relevant short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), mainly acetate (34.82 {+/-} 2.08 mM), as well as strain-dependent propionate and butyrate levels. BO greatly promoted probiotic biofilm formation, with biomass reaching 391.33 {+/-} 26.08% and viable cell counts of 9.01 {+/-} 0.70 log CFU/mL relative to the control. Collectively, the results indicate that BO represents a digestion-resistant, hexose-based oligosaccharide series that is selectively utilised by probiotic lactobacilli, promotes SCFA production and enhances biofilm development. To our knowledge, this work is the first to combine structural profiling with in vitro functional evaluation of a purified, low-DP oligosaccharide fraction obtained from black rice. HighlightsO_LIPurified oligosaccharides (DP3-DP8) were obtained from black rice using charcoal-celite chromatography followed by dialysis. C_LIO_LIStructural analysis confirmed that the oligosaccharides were hexose-based and composed mainly of glucose and galactose. C_LIO_LIBlack rice oligosaccharides exhibited higher resistance to simulated gastric and intestinal digestion compared with starch. C_LIO_LIPositive prebiotic activity scores were observed due to selective utilisation by probiotic Lactobacillus strains. C_LIO_LIFermentation of black rice oligosaccharides significantly increased short-chain fatty acid production. C_LIO_LIPurified oligosaccharides enhanced probiotic biofilm formation, indicating improved colonisation potential. C_LI Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=179 SRC="FIGDIR/small/705216v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (43K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9a5915org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14eac7aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1db8baorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14ad50a_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

Todays canola quality rapeseed press cake (RPC) is a protein-rich co-product with potential as human food, but its application is limited due to antinutritional compounds and bitter taste. It remains, however, unknown how introduction of raw RPC to a food matrix affects sensory perception and which metabolites drive the sensation. Here, raw RPC from whole or dehulled seeds was introduced into snack bars at 0%, 7%, 14%, and 21%, and sensory responses were correlated to selected known RPC-derived bitter compounds. A trained panel evaluated 13 RPC-characteristic sensory attributes, and the bitter compounds sinapic acid, kaempferol 3-O-(2'''-O-sinapoyl-{beta}-sophoroside) (KSS), KSS-hexose, selected bitter glucosinolates, and goitrin were quantified using targeted LC-MS/MS. Most dose-dependent sensory responses increased up to 14% RPC and then plateaued, whereas astringent mouthfeel increased almost linearly across the full dose range. Dehulling intensified several odor- and flavor-related attributes but did not increase bitterness or protein content in the final product. Principal component analysis linked bitterness and astringency positively with KSS, KSS-hexose, and goitrin. Dose-over-threshold analysis further showed that goitrin, but not progoitrin, reached concentrations relevant for bitterness perception. Together, the results demonstrate that raw RPC contributes distinct dose-dependent sensory attributes and that metabolite transformations in the food matrix shape final sensory profiles. These findings provide a basis for developing RPC-containing foods and for breeding rapeseed lines with improved sensory characteristics. HIGHLIGHTSO_LIThis study presents the first sensory panel assessment of rapeseed press cake (RPC)-containing in food products (snack bars) made from whole and dehulled seeds. C_LIO_LI13 RPC-characteristic sensory attributes are identified. C_LIO_LISensory profiles of the tasted snack bars differed significantly, influenced by the dosage of RPC and by the dehulling treatment. Bitterness and astringency are positively correlated with the RPC dosage. C_LIO_LIGoitrin, kaempferol 3-O-(2'''-O-sinapoyl-{beta}-sophoroside) (KSS) and sinapic acid are RPC-derived bitter compounds that correlate with bitter taste of RPC-containing snack bars. C_LIO_LIApproximately 90% of glucosinolates introduced with the RPC are not detected in the snack bars, and goitrin levels in snack bars accounts for only [~]10% of introduced progoitrin. C_LIO_LIGoitrin is - for the first time - reported to contribute to the perceived bitterness of an RPC-containing food product. C_LI

Cultivated meat can contribute to the global food supply; therefore, establishing efficient production processes is an urgent task to meet the growing demand for sustainable protein. Although cell culture technology has historically focused on suspension cells in the pharmaceutical and, subsequently, cultivated meat industries, the development of efficient processes for most adhesion-dependent cells has lagged, with limited examples reported to date. Therefore, this study used primary duck liver-derived adherent cells to develop and evaluate an integrated three-step meat production process involving pre-culture to select highly proliferative cells, packed-bed bioreactor expansion for mass production, and final processing, including packaging and heating. The established process allowed the efficient growth of selected cell populations while maintaining their proliferative characteristics. Moreover, the developed product met the microbiological and heavy metal safety criteria. Comprehensive compositional analysis (nutritional, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles) revealed that the product exhibited a protein profile distinct from that of conventional duck liver paste, along with a unique lower-fat signature. As productivity is dependent on cell doubling time, culture duration and monthly production were estimated for cells from various animal species. Overall, this study established a practical integrated production process for cultivated meat using adherent cells, providing a technological foundation for cellular agriculture applicable to diverse cell types and useful for future food supply diversification. GraphicalAbstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=74 SRC="FIGDIR/small/698307v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (23K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18b1148org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11bbcecorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@102d99org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@21af6f_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

Palm wine is an alcoholic beverage that has existed for centuries and has important economic and socio-culture values in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. Lesser known than other types of wines, palm wine is made by spontaneous fermentation of palm sap by naturally occurring microbial communities. The palm sap ecosystem has unique microbial composition and diversity, which determines the composition of the eventual wine and is likely affected by geographical distinctiveness. While these features are well understood in grape and rice wine, these features have not been understood in palm wine. In this review, we gather information of microbial communities and metabolite profiles from published studies, covering a wide range of methodologies and regions, to better understand the causal links between the principal microbial species and major metabolites of palm wine. We assess palm wine quality across production regions and local practices to provide general characteristics of palm wine and identify specific regional information. These will provide better understandings to the function of microbial communities and metabolite diversity, the contribution of regional variations and to ensure product quality in this important and widespread, yet overlooked, fermented beverage. One sentence summaryreview and synthesis of microbial ecology and metabolites in palm wine fermentation across geography and their contribution to cultural food systems

In this research we inoculated Lacticaseibacillus casei (L. casei) into wheat sprouts and studied the viability of the bacteria in the sprout. L. casei (ATCC39392) strain was inoculated into sterilized wheat sprouts. The height of the sprouts and roots were checked and the active phenolic content, flavonoid compounds, and the antioxidant activity were measured. The bacterial viability was determined under simulated gastrointestinal (SGI) conditions. The physicochemical properties of the final product and its organoleptic properties were also investigated. The final confirmation of the presence of bacteria was also done by transmission electron microscope imaging. The number of bacteria increased from 8.18 Log CFU/g to 11.81 {+/-} 0.33 Log CFU/g. The increase in the phenolic content and antioxidant activity indicates the improvement of the nutritional value of the sprout. The physicochemical properties of the product changed due to the activity of bacteria. The inoculated bacteria also survived after exposure to SGI. The organoleptic properties of the product did not reveal a significant difference between the control and treatment groups. The increase in the number of bacteria and their survival after exposure to SGI indicates the suitable condition of wheat sprout as a proper substrate for L. casei bacteria.